Like a moth to a flame
by casper6six6
Summary: After surviving the CDC, the group finds themselves on a farm, seemingly untouched by the walker virus. As the group tries to find Sophia, while trying to handle Shane's break down. Follow Emily as she tries to keep her kids and her blue eyed man with a crossbow safe. (Daryl/oc) this is a sequel to like fire and ice.
1. What Lies Ahead

**Disclaimer I don't own the walking dead. **

**This is part two of like fire and ice. Following season two of the walking dead. The first part of this is actually a deleted scene of season two it is on the DVD ok. I had to put it in because I ****love**** when Daryl tells off Andrea I was like **_**ya take that bitch. **_

**here you the first chapter of Like a moth to a flame.**

We have been driving for a few hours now, taking all the back roads and having to go around walkers, when Daryl started honking like crazy, driving pass us up to the RV. "What's he doing? What's wrong?" I yell looking in my mirrors while trying to keep my eyes on the road. "I don't see Shane's jeep." Jack yelled back, while he and Anna looked through all the windows.

T-dog and I pass the RV, who was slowing down, I turn around when the RV did, honking to T-dog, before driving back up to the RV. I could see Shane jumping in. "Oh good, he made it." I sighed to the kids, who then settled down. I caught up to the RV with T-dog behind me, now Daryl behind him.

I follow the RV until it turned down an alleyway and stopped. I parked close behind. Getting out I quickly run around and open the trunk hatch, letting out jack and Anna. As T-dog parked behind me, I strap on my gun and knife before Jack and I put on our go bags. We Picked up Gracie and Haylee and T-dog shut the trunk for me, before we all made our way to the others.

"You keep your eyes closed for me Haylee bug ok." She just nodded burying her face into Jack. I shut the RV door as I passed. "It looks like they are barely hanging on. What makes you think they will take in strangers?" Andrea asked as we walked up. "With all the guns we gave them, they'll probably throw us a party. Good call for once." Daryl said loading his crossbow.

We made our way through a window of a broken down building, T-dog and Dale helping me and jack down, Anna close behind. Stopping and turning so that Anna couldn't see the walkers that were eating. Jack and I cover the girl's ears while Anna covers hers, as Carol, Lori and I huddle the kids close when the men started shooting all of the walkers.

Getting up we follow Rick, Daryl and Shane into the building, Anna holding onto my left side with Gracie, so that my right arm was free. I unclip the gun, but leave it in its holster, as we made our way through a garage, all the way to a hallway with Jack in front of me, T-dog and Glenn behind me covering the back.

We pile in the hallway, just to see more dead people all around, Sophia started crying louder, which just made Daryl angrier. "Put a sock in it." He whispers heatedly. "You leave her alone." Carol whispered back pulling Sophia closer to her. "shut her up or I will." "Back the hell off and I mean right now." Lori said to him. Anna started shaking, Jack pulled her to him and Haylee.

"Are we staying or going?" Lori asked looking to Rick. "We don't have enough fuel." He said looking to Shane who said we should stay for a night, but Rick, himself and Daryl will sweep the building first, so that it would be safe for us the night. "You guys, barricade those doors." Rick said before him, Daryl and Shane went to sweep the building.

Jack sat down with the kids, holding Haylee and Gracie. I stayed in the hall holding my gun, making sure nothing got close to the door or came down the hall, as the others went around grabbing whatever they could.

I helped the others block the door and after Andrea threw the last thing on top we heard glass cracking, we all dropped to the ground, I point the gun to door just in case, my finger not on the trigger. I turn to see Carl holding Sophia's hand as he told her and Anna its ok.

We got up when the walker passed, Carol holding Gracie for me, as we all made our way to the other guys. T-dog and I checked the rooms as passed not wanting any surprises, Glenn and Dale covering the back. We made our way to a sort of game hall, pointing my gun to the stairs when I heard something, holding my hand up to tell the others to stay back.

"Oh shit!" Shane said jumping back, sighing I lower my gun. "Sorry." I whispered looking at Daryl who was smirking. Holstering my gun, I take Gracie from Carol and we sat down in a couple of chairs that weren't near any of bodies.

"Upstairs are our best bet. We cleared a few rooms that we can barricade if we have to. We will be safe." Rick told us, I just watched Daryl walking around the room looking at the bodies. "What the hell happened here?" Glenn asked softly, I rock Gracie who started to whimper.

"What do you think? They got overrun." Rolling my eyes as Andrea said that, hearing Daryl scoff shaking his head. "You have something to say?" She asked him. "ya how bout observant." He said looking at Andrea. "observant. A big word from a guy like you, three whole syllables." She was really starting to piss me off.

"Walkers didn't show up till after all this went down. Someone attacked this place, taking whatever they wanted. They were all shot in the head, execution style. You all afraid of walkers, I would be much more afraid of whoever came and did all this." He said as Rick leaned closer to one of dead seeing the bullet wound. Daryl looked up to Andrea.

"Get a dictionary. Look it up, observant." He told her, pointing to his head before he started for the door, I had to hide my smirk as he passed, but I think he caught it.

We got up and made our way to the rooms that they had cleared out, all of us walking into the biggest room, none of us really wanting to be too far from the others. We sat down as Shane and Rick went off to see if there was any food. T-dog went to the stairs for watch.

When Shane and Rick came back, Shane tossed Daryl a can and he told us that was all that was left. "So we came back for cough drops and garbanzo beans." he said as he started to open the can. "Is there any water?" Sophia asked I grab my bag and started going through it. "Just the one bottle I had. Only a few sips hun, ok and that goes for the rest of you." Shane said handing Sophia the water bottle.

I pull out the two water bottles from my bag and the three bags of beef jerky, setting them next to me as Shane pulled out chips and a bottle of wine. "Is that to share?" Daryl asked Shane when he saw the bottle. "Seeing as owe you my life. See uh… I'm going to be nice to you now." Shane said passing the bottle to him.

"Go easy on that stuff, don't forget where we are." Lori said to him as started to open the bottle. "Yes ma'am." He told her opening the bottle. "Where did you get all that?" Glenn asked stunned which made everyone look at me making me nervous.

"I packed a bug out bag for each of us, when we left the apartment, in case we had to leave everything behind. It has food, a first aid kit and a change of clothes, a knife, matches that sort of stuff." I said like it was obvious, I hand Glenn the beef jerky so he can pass it around. I got some weird stares from everyone before they went back to eating. Daryl looked at me smirking a little. Carol patted my shoulder saying thank you.

"What's next? we need to decide." Lori said getting up and asking Rick. "Fort Benning, Rick." Shane said and I start to change Gracie as Rick told Shane he should have listened to him.

"Who would do this, come in here and kill all these people. I mean who does that." When Glenn said Jack pulls Anna closer when he said that. "Is that something we should be discussing right now?" Lori asked him moving to a scared Carl. I rub Anna's back as all the guys get up and walked outside, Daryl grabbed the door looking at me before he closed it.

Jack and Glenn went and grabbed clean blankets and pillows for all of us, before they came back. Laying a blanket on the floor, I then put Haylee and Gracie on one side Anna, Sophia and Carol on the other side. Carl and Lori on the other side of me, Jack in between us. I look across from me to Daryl, both of us just staring at each other, as I rub Gracie's tummy. I fell asleep looking into his blue eyes.

Waking up early, we packed up and left the building. We were going to be leaving T-dogs van and Daryl's truck. T-dog siphoned out the gas putting some in the RV, my expedition is great on fuel, so I will be good for a while.

Daryl walked up to me, I had the trunk hatch open, putting in the extra pillows and blankets down. He slid his hand across my back, as he looked in the back, he gave Anna a small smile, who was fixing her end, and she smiled back. "You can put your stuff in here." I told him and when he nodded his head, we walked over to his truck and grabbed his tent and his and Merle's bags.

"thanks." he said after I closed the trunk Anna will be staying in the back. "It's no problem." I smile at him before he walked over and got on, I guess his bike now. A shiver went down my spine when he started it up. I had to calm down before getting behind the wheel, the girls are in their car seats and Jack is next to them in the back. Daryl took off first then the RV, Rick and then me, as we started on our way out of Atlanta.

We have been driving for a few hours now, Jack moved Gracie down in the back with Anna, so that she could take a nap. We started to slow down, I could see some cars, so there was a road block off some sort up ahead.

Stopping behind Rick, Jack and I got out, Jack went to see why we had stopped. I climbed in the back and unstrap Haylee, helping her climb in the back with Anna. I grab the battier powered fan and turned it on, since I don't want any of the windows down too far.

I shut the door and walk up to the others, to find out that the RV hose was broke again, not much of a surprise though. "There's a bunch of things we can find." Daryl said going through a car.

"Maybe some water?" Carol asked. "This is a graveyard. I don't know how I feel about this." Lori said to us. "Tell that to your son when he's starving, that wouldn't go through abandon cars because you didn't **feel right**." I snapped at her before walking off not even looking back, stupid bitch.

Jack and I were looking through our fifth car, putting anything of real use, in box that he had found. We found some canned food, some sports drinks, odds and ends like that. When I saw Shane signaling to us to get under the cars, as he pulled Glenn under the truck they were next. I turn to see over fifty walkers coming our way, they haven't seen us yet.

Jack and I crouched down, dropping the box and then hid behind the cars, moving away from them. There was nowhere we could hide, all the cars were too low. Jack tugged my hand to a truck and we quickly got underneath. Jack and I pull out our knives and put our backs together as the walkers started walking by.

I had to cover my mouth hoping that the girls were ok. I couldn't hear any screaming so that was good thing. It seemed like forever as they stumbled passed, I was about to get out when I saw another pair of feet, I grab Jack's side, so he wouldn't move, it was walking very slowly.

It tripped over its own feet and fell to the ground, I sat still wide eyed, both of us trying not to breathe. Its rotted face turned to me and before it could move, I shove my knife right in its eye, scraping my arm real bad on gravel, but I killed it.

Pushing Jack to leave on his side I pull my knife out, making a squishy sound as it came out. I shuffled over and out on the other side, Jack helping me stand. "Come on." I said pulling Jack and holding my knife tightly, as my arm started to bleed.

We made our way back to the others, I didn't know we were so far away, until right then. I ran as fast as I could and made my way to my car, passing everybody. Running up, I fling the door open and climb inside seeing Anna holding the girls farther in the back, sighing I climb in the back with them.

I hug them with my left arm not wanting to get blood on them. "Oh god, your arm." Anna said pulling away from me, looking at it. "It's ok, it is just a scrap, nothing else." I tell her looking in her eyes, so she would understand it wasn't a bite or a scratch. Jack came over opening the trunk hatch, as Anna grabbed the first aid bag.

The girls lay down behind me, while Jack helped clean and wrap my right arm. "T-dog hurt his arm real bad too and umm…"Jack said I just nodded taping the bandage down. He climbed in the back with the girls, I grabbed the bag and kissed the girls, before jumping out and closed the trunk.

I walk up to the others to see them collecting the stuff near the RV, I could see them moving cars too. Dale seeing my walk up pointed to the RV. I climb inside to see T-dog holding a towel to his arm, I set the bag down and lift the towel just for more blood seep out. I grab another clean towel and quickly trade it, pressing down a little harder, when he hissed and jerked tried to jerk his arm away I just held tighter.

"Sorry." "Do what you need to." he told me, crying out when I poured some alcohol on it and then some bottled water. I wrapped it tight, but not too tight so it could still breathe. I give him some pain meds and he got up and left.

I clean up before walking out just to see everyone standing around I walk up. "Is that blood?" Carol asked looking at Daryl's pants. "We took down a walker. It was nowhere near Sophia." Rick told her. "How can you be sure?" Andrea asked, Daryl looked to me before answering. "We cut the son of bitch open, made sure." He said looking to Carol. Carol sat down and looked to Rick. "How could you just leave her out there, all alone?"

Confused I looked around, I wasn't sure what was going on. Shaking my head and covering my mouth when I realized Sophia was gone, Glenn pulled me to his side. Pulling away I walked back to my car and climb inside, trading places with Jack, who left.

I sit next to girls and after they ate they laid down. I just sit there, jack climbed into the passenger seat and reclined the seat back. I lay my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes.

The next morning when Anna woke up, I had to tell her about Sophia. Holding her close and we both cried. After Haylee and Gracie woke up, we climbed out of the car, Haylee staying very close to me. I didn't want the girls out of the car for long, the highway was not safe. The others were going out to look for Sophia in a little while.

I was staying behind with Dale and T-dog. After feeding the kids some breakfast, I put Haylee and Gracie back in the car with some toys and the fan on. I stood next to Anna as Rick laid down a roll of weapons. "Everyone takes a weapon." He said. "These aren't the weapons we need. what about the guns?" Andrea asked, I just shook my head.

"The plan is to walk the creek five miles, turn around and walked the other side back. Chances are she will be by water." Daryl said before walking off, Anna turned to me. "I want to go with them and look for Sophia. Can I go?" she said looking at me, sighing I close my eyes.

"Ok, but I want you to stay close to your brother, or stay close to someone else. Come on, let's get you, your go bag." And we walked to the car, which was now, just a little behind the RV.

Opening the door she reached in and grabbed her bag from the floor under Gracie's car seat. She hurried and made her way to Jack and the others, who were leaving. I walked up to Dale and T-dog watching the others as they leave.

"I'll start sorting everything between all the cars." I tell them looking to the pile of stuff everyone has collected. Dale nodded his head, before making his way up onto the top of the RV. I was about half way through the pile, when T-dog asked Dale why he wasn't fixing the hose, Dale cunningly had fixed it yesterday. He didn't what the other to know though, shaking my smiling.

"That is one tricky hose, huh." T-dog said up to Dale "very." Dale said smiling a little. "Did you hear that?" T-dog joked looking at me. "Hear what?" I laughed carrying a box to Carol's car. Hearing both of them laughing as I walked passed. After putting the box away, I go to my car and open the trunk and sit down with the girls.

Giving Haylee her sippy cup and Gracie a bottle, both filled with water. I change Gracie and she falls asleep, drinking her bottle. I take Haylee to the RV, so she could use the rest room. She sat there yawning on the toilet, trying not to laugh it was cute. I take her back to the car so she could take a nap too.

I finish packing the stuff between all the cars, I'll leave the water jugs for someone else to put away. I picked up the last bag, when I heard what sounded like a gun shot.

I look up to Dale who looked franticly around the trees, than to the both sides of the highway. He looked down at me and T-dog and shook his head. I look to the trees hoping that everything was ok.

**Well there is chapter one tell me what you think. **

**I want to thank FanFicGirl101,** **BlackRose8511 and alicemeetwonderland for reviewing.**

**DramaMama117, FanFicGirl10, Foreveryours4456, Keep Calm n' Carry On, Leo Potter, Lilly72, animefangirl0219, jomaxrox, theangelsummers, SPEEDIE22, crazychicalol and shyannene for favoring and following like fire and ice thank you all so much and I hope you like this one just as much if not more so thank you. **

**I also want to thank all of you who do read the story and have stuck around to read this one to. **


	2. save the last blood rose

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead. I do however own Norman Reedus. Ok, ok I don't but I really want to. **

**Ok so since bloodletting, save the last one and Cherokee rose are just two days in all three episodes I had to combine all three so that it would be a normal chapter and not three very small chapters so here is save the last blood rose.**

Groaning is all I heard as I walked over to the couch. "I hate working double shifts." Gwen said lying on her back, she just flopped down when she walked in. "Sit up and eat your dinner. It's tomato soup and grilled cheese, your favorite." I said talking to her like a little kid. "You're baby talkin me, again." She said grumbling when she sat up. "whatever." I snapped grabbing my own soup and grilled cheese and sit next to her. "Thank you for watc…" "Don't even finish that, you know I don't mind." I interrupted her, rolling my eyes. "Ok, ok I know. Oh did you hear about that cop that was shot, in that car chase, over in Kings County?" she asked turning to me. "Emily?"

"Emily?" I look over my shoulder to see Dale walking up. I pull my hands out of the car that I was searching. "Ya Dale." I said turning to him. "Can you check T's arm, it's looking real bad." He asked readjusting the rifle. "Dale I'm not a doctor, I know basics, his arm is not basic. It needs to be stitched. Tonya used all of stitching supplies, on me." I said looking at him, I really didn't know what to do.

"That's ok hun, but he needs meds or something, I still can't believe we haven't found anything, in all these cars. Can you come and check on him?" "Of course, I found some more canned food, I not sure about this one though, I think its dog food." I said as I picked up the box of things I was collecting. "I found some neat things too." Both of us laughing shaking my head as we walked backed.

"Found some batteries, bottle of some trendy pink water, a new machete and this guitar, I think Glenn will like. If he can play" Dale said sitting down next to T-dog, I went in the RV to find the bag, stopping on the first step when T-dog started yelling. I step out when he calmed down. "Let's just go just us, let's go before the others get back." T-dog said sounding delirious.

Dale got up a put his hand to his head. "Oh my god, you're burning up. Give me that." He grabbed the pill bottle from T-dog, opening it. I bent down and grab the pink water, opening it so he can take the pills. "We need to get the fever down." Dale said more to me than to T-dog.

I just nodded and we both helped T-dog into the RV so he could lay down. I pour some water on a clean rag, laying it on his forehead, Dale left to keep an eye on outside. I change the bandage and get up, I let him drink some more water before leaving.

I walk to my car and open the trunk to see both the girls are fine, they were playing with some of their stuffed animals, giggling away. I climb in and sit down with them, I leave the trunk open to get a better breeze.

I see Daryl walking up from the front of the car, I set down the bunny I was playing with and I climb out of the back and stand up, but I get very dizzy. I feel him catch me before I fall to the ground, the last thing I see is his panicked eyes.

"She's waking up." I hear Glenn say, I feel like I'm moving. I open my eyes, they were so blurry, but I could see trees passing by and it was dark now. Groaning I tried to sit up, but feel a hand on my arm, pushing me back down. "Stay down, its ok we are almost there." I turn my head to see Glenn driving, I close my eyes, _driving where._

I felt some one lifting me up and carrying me somewhere. The voices sounded muffled and far away. "_Bring her here jimmy…" "Set her down…" "Is she going to…" "… fine just dehydrated and her arm is …" _

I open my eyes slowly, it was still dark outside the window, _window. _I look around the room I was in, I was on a couch. I slowly look down to see a needle in my arm, I could feel my heart beating faster. "It's ok, you're safe here."

I jerk back and look up to see a girl with short brown hair, standing there. "It's ok, I'm Maggie Greene. Glenn brought you to my family's farm after you passed out." She said coming over and sitting down in a chair nearby. "Where is Glenn?" I ask but then started coughing, my mouth is really dry.

She got up and grabbed a glass of water off the table, she then helped me sit up. I took a couple of sips before laying back down I was so tired. "He is right outside, I'll go get him ok." she said standing up and walking away.

I get up carefully so I wouldn't mess with the needle, I could hear him coming, he was almost running to the room. "Do you have any idea, how scared you made all of us?" he said like he was angry, but I could tell he was just exhausted.

"What happened?" I asked looking to him then to Maggie. "You are severely dehydrated and you probably haven't eating much in a while, so there's that, but there is also your arm, you have a small infection, but you will be fine." She told me, as T-dog came in and sat next to me.

"Look we're twins." He joked lifting his right arm, which was bandaged up like mine. Shaking my head snickering, I look away when an older man, who came walking in, saying that he needed Maggie and Patricia's help with the boy.

As they left I turn to them asking what boy. "Uh... Carl was shot." Glenn softly said "what!" I almost yelled "what the hell happened?"

Glenn sighed and he told me how they spilt up and some guy, Otis, shot Carl by accident and that Shane and Otis were out to getting supplies. After he told me that, we all heard a car pulling up, I could see everyone leave the house, to go out front, I see both Rick and Lori as well.

After a minute or two the older guy came back in, followed by T-dog, Glenn and Maggie shortly after. Maggie was crying as she passed by with Glenn, off to somewhere else. T-dog came back and sat next to me, telling me that Shane came back alone. Shaking my head, I lean my head back, having a hard time keeping my eyes open.

I wake up lying down again, I look at my arm to see the needle was out. I sit up and look around to see both Shane and T-dog sleeping in the two arm chairs across from me. Shane was in some baggie overalls with his leg propped up, I look up to see him staring at me, I guess he couldn't sleep.

We sat there in silence until the sun came up. I could hear people moving around up stairs. The older man came in and told me his name is Hershel. "I'm going to need to take your stitches out."

With his help I stood up and followed him up the stairs to the bathroom. He took out all stitches. "You can take a bath now but keep that arm clean and dry. Here are some of Maggie's clothes you can borrow." He said getting ready to leave. "Thank you and I'm sorry about Otis." He just nodded his closing the door.

After taking a bath, I put on Maggie's pants and t-shirt, they fit pretty good. I walked down the stairs I walked outside to see some of them, picking up rocks. I walked over and start helping, I stop when I hear his bike, I look up and see them coming up the road.

When he stopped, he wouldn't even look at me. I walk pass him to my car as Jack parked. Anna jumps out and hugs me, Jack doing the same. "The girls are still asleep. They didn't go to sleep, almost all night." Jack said not letting go.

Anna looked up to tears in her eyes. "What happened?" she asked her lip quivering. "I was worrying about you guys so much, I forget to drink any water." I told her pulling them closer. "I'm fine ok." they both nodded, he pulled away from me, but she wouldn't let go as Rick and Lori tell everyone that Carl will be ok.

I open the trunk to see Haylee was lying there, holding her teddy bear so tight. When she opened her eyes and saw me, she started crying. I climb inside pull her to me, humming while rocking her. Gracie wakes up hearing Haylee crying and I pull her to me too.

We sit there for a while until Jack comes over, telling me they were about to start the funeral. He picks up Gracie, before walking off. I had a hard time climbing out of the back because Haylee wouldn't let go. Once I was out I close the trunk and started walking over to the trees where they were putting Otis's grave. I stand next to Anna, who held my waist as Hershel started.

I look across from me to Daryl, who still wouldn't look at me. I had hard time believing Shane's story it sounded made up to me. I made eye contact with Dale, I guess he didn't believe him either.

After I finally got Haylee to stop her death grip, I laid down a blanket in the shade for the girls to sit on, while Jack and I put up our tent, the girls will be staying in the car.

I see Daryl walking off somewhere, I stop what I was doing and follow him. I stand a little behind him, I know he knew I was there, ok now I mad. "Why won't you talk to me, hell you won't even look at me, why?" he just stood there his back to me, looking at something on his bike. I stood there getting angrier every second he wouldn't say anything.

I walk around to his side, his jaw was clenched and he was glaring down at a bolt he was cleaning. "Really, still nothing. Are you trying to piss me off? Cause you are doing a great job of it right now." I said crossing my arms glaring at him

"I can't …"he paused looking up at me, "I can't keep doing this whatever this is." he said pointing to us. "I don't understand." I said trying to sound angry. He turned to me glaring at me, almost shouting. "What don't you understand? I ain't your boyfriend. I already got what I wanted from you, so what the hell do I want? I want you to stop coming around me like some bitch in heat."

I just glared at him as he ranted, when he stopped I dropped my arms clenching my fist, I want so badly to punch him. "Ok, you have your little bitch fit and I will leave you alone. But when you realize that pushing me away only hurts you more, it might be late for you to take it all back."

I walked away passing Rick on my way back to the others, helping Carol with a tent, trying not to cry. After putting it up, I went to help Dale and T-dog go and get some water.

We walked all the way to the well. "I'm not weak and I'm not a coward." T-dog said, he went on asking us not to tell us what he said on the highway. Hearing water moving I start walking over to the well, just to see that the top was broken.

I carefully lean over and look down the well, to see a bloated walker. I turn to Dale who leaned next to me, we both got up Dale hurried over to T-dog knocking the ladle out of his hand. "I wouldn't drink that if I were you." he said to him, T-dog looked shocked.

T-dog and I hurried back to camp, telling the others about the walker in the well. I stayed behind with Carol and the girls. We finished another tent, when Maggie and Lori came back to get a ham, there are going to try to get it out.

I take a drink of water before putting the girls in my tent, so they could take a nap. Anna and I watch as the others use a horse to pull out the walker. I turn Anna around when I saw the walker split in half, then seeing T-dog kill the walker.

I went around asking everyone what they needed and made a list of things for Glenn and Maggie to get, things like diapers and tampons, stuff like that. "Don't get killed trying to get anything, you are more important than what is on the list alright." I said to them both handing Glenn the groups lists. Glenn and Maggie climb up on the horses and ride off.

I wave off Shane, Carol and Andrea as they left to go to the highway. Jack and I started helping Lori, Dale and T-dog put their stuff in their tents and then went and started on ours, having to be quite so that we wouldn't wake the girls.

Anna started helping Carol clean the RV for Sophia, when she got back with Shane and Andrea. I went into my tent to see both of them were awake, Haylee got up and went outside with the others.

I change Gracie before getting up and walking out to see that Rick and Hershel were back from where ever they went. I turn to see **his** bike sitting there, I bit my lip to stop from crying, I can't believe he said that to me.

I re-started the fire, after it went out again, I look up seeing **him** walking back from his search, I quickly look down to the fire, as he walked in to the RV. "I'm going to go get more fire wood, before it gets too dark." I tell Shane who nodded before walking over and grabbing the wheelbarrow. "I'll come help when I'm done putting our stuff away." Jack said as I passed him.

I walk into the tress, but still kept an eye on the house. I picked up all the sticks and branches I could find, they won't get the fire going for long. Hearing footsteps thinking its Jack I drop the log I picked up in to the wheelbarrow. "We'll have to chop some more logs tomorrow, help me get some…" I stop when I turned to see Daryl standing there.

I stop talking and turn back around, tears welling up. I pick up the handles and start pushing the wheelbarrow, hearing him walking behind me. I'm trying real hard not to say anything. He just stood there every time I stopped to collect more branches, I was almost back to the tree line, when I stopped turning around to him and he just stood there staring at me.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked but he just stood there looking down to the ground. "I'm trying to do what you wanted, to leave you alone, but that is impossible when you keep following me around." I told him turning around to pick up the wheelbarrow.

He grabs my arm turning me back so fast, one hand on the back of my neck. Slamming his lips to mine, kissing me almost desperately and I want to kiss him back I did, but I couldn't. Pushing against his chest, he stopped leaning his head against mine, I couldn't look him in the eyes.

"You can't treat me like this, I'm not some whore you can play with Daryl. I know you only said those things to push me away but it really did hurt when you said them." I whispered trying to pull away from him but he wouldn't let go, pulling tighter to him.

"Please let me go." He just shook his head slowly against mine. "I already forgave you when you said it, but it's going to be longer to try a forget it, just give me some time." He kissed my check, before he let me go. I didn't look at him as I walked away, I couldn't because I know I'll go back to him if I do.

After eating dinner and putting the girls to bed, I laid there in my sleeping bag, crying into my pillow, trying not to let anyone know that I was crying. When I finally calm myself, Jack walks in and goes right to sleep. I look up at the stars through a small opening in the top of the tent, trying to fall asleep.

**Don't hate me! Their relationship was to happy and I don't think Daryl would be able to handle being that close to someone and when Emily passes out I think it would bring out that feeling like oh right I could lose her too, so he tries to push her away. **


	3. Chupacabra

**Disclaimer: I don't own walking on I do own it on DVD though.**

**Here is Chupacabra, the first tid-bit is when Emily and the kids first get to the quarry so no one gets to confused.**

**Thank you for reading, hope you like it.**

_Pain that is all I felt, my side felt like it was on fire. Holding a towel to my side, it was already soaked with my blood. "How much farther?" Jack yelled grabbing another towel and pressing into my side, Screaming when he pushed too hard. "Not much farther, I swear it's just up the road." Glenn yelled back to us, we just met him, I almost hit him with my car after what happened. The girls were screaming and crying, not sure what was happening. Anna was sitting in the front seat shaking. "No, no, no stay awake Emily, stay awake Emil…"_

"_Was she bit …" "no some guy he tried…" "I need more light here..." "Hold her down Daryl…" "I'm not even halfway…" "Hold her dow…" "Get her to stay awake…" "Ok I'm done, I'm done, now we…" "She might not survive…" "She lost a lot of blood… "_

Waking up the next day I really didn't want to get up. Sucking it up, I got and change my clothes, Jack was already gone. Zipping the tent closed, I say hello to Carol and Dale who where getting the fire started. I walk to the car and slowly open the back door, to see that they all were still sleeping.

I climb up and sit down having to bend my head, since the seats were down. I gently take out Gracie from her bassinet, she's getting too big to sleep in this comfortably. I change her, but leave her where she is, I cover her up and then Haylee, who kicks her blanket off all the time.

I shut the door as quietly as I could before walking back to the fire. Daryl came out of his tent and stood there, we looked at each other, I tried to smile but it was very hard to do. Looking away, I helped Carol start washing all of our clothes as the others started getting up and moving around.

When we started hanging up the wet clothes so they could dry, Lori came out of her tent and started to put her boots on. Smiling at Dale who walked by. "I can't believe, I slept in." she said walking up and started helping us. "Well you must have needed it. You felling alright?" Carol asked her. "Well next time wake me up, especially on laundry day." Lori said as she started hanging up some clothes. "We had it covered." I tell her as I hang up one of the girls' dresses.

"I wanted to run an idea by you guys." Carol said to us. "What's that?" "That big kitchen of theirs got me thinking. I wouldn't mind cooking in a real kitchen again. Maybe we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight." Carol said to us I hang my last shirt, telling her it's a great idea, before walking away when I see Rick and Shane walking up. "Morning guys. Let's get going. We have a lot of ground to cover." Rick said as we walked to the car.

I look over the map at the grid Jack and I were going to search, while the others talked, thinking about everything we needed and the stuff I need to do before we left. I smiled when the others made fun of Daryl and his Chupacabra remembering when he told me the story back at the quarry.

I look up to him standing on the other side of the car, flashes of the quarry, him teaching me how to hunt and track, what happened at the CDC, but what he said to me kept playing over and over in head, tainting those memories.

"Alright Andrea, T-dog, I want you guys to search from here to here." Rick said point to their grind. "And I want you and Jack to search this area here." He said showing us our area. Nodding my head, we walked to our tent grabbing are backpacks.

I pull the compass around neck, after putting on the backpack. I already had my gun belt and knife strapped on, I still needed to grab my gun. Stuffing the yellow rags we ripped from a sheet, into my pockets of my cargo pants, Jack and the nails and hammers already.

I zip the tent closed and made my way over to the girls, Gracie was in her playpen while Anna and Haylee were next to it on a blanket. Kissing them and telling them we would be right back. Jack and I made our way to our search area, after I grabbed my gun. I wave shyly to Daryl, smiling a little, as he started riding the horse off to where he was going, he smiled a little nodding his head to me before Jack and I walked into the trees, at least I was trying now.

We have searching for an hour now, tacking our yellow rags to the trees along the way. "Can I ask you something?" "Of course Jack." I said looking at some tracks on the ground, I think its pig tracks, I'm not sure, _oh I miss bacon._ "What's wrong with you and Daryl?" I stand and look back at him. "I mean with how close you two were at the CDC, you guys sure are acting strange now." He said walking around me and started walking away.

I stood their stunned looking like a deer in headlights. "Wait hold on, what do you mean with how close we were?" Really hoping he didn't mean what I think he means. He started laughing. "Glenn and I were in the room next to his, we heard you guys. You weren't as quiet as you think you were." He laughed running ahead of me when he say me glaring at him.

After calming down, I told him the short version of what was going on. "I'm trying I really am, it's just every time I see him I remember what he said." We talk some more apparently he has a little crush on Beth, since he has been hanging around her and Jimmy, since they all were around the same age.

I told him not to get close to any of them, after I overheard Hershel telling Rick he doesn't want us to stay. When I saw him getting sadder, I told him Rick was trying to get him to let us stay.

When we met up with T-dog, Andrea and Jimmy at the end of both our grids, we all started back for the farm. "We didn't find anything about Sophia either." Jack told them as we started walking the field. Anna and Haylee started running to us when they saw us walking up. Picking up Haylee, we made our way back to where our tents were.

Setting Haylee down, I took off my back pact and went to the RV, where Carol ran to when she saw we didn't have Sophia. I sighed and sat down across from her, holding both her hands she was crying softly.

"I don't know what to say. Saying sorry doesn't seem like enough. I know by now you are tired of hearing it but we will find her. I know we didn't this time, but none of us saw any walkers either, so that is a good thing." She just nodded and blowing her nose.

"Daryl is still out there and if he doesn't find her today, we are going back out tomorrow again and the day after that, until we find her, I promise you." I said moving to sit next to her holding her while she cried.

After putting my gun up and helping Carol to the house. I started organizing the car some more, since Gracie won't be in her bassinet any more, they needed some more room.

"Walker, walker!" I stop and jump out of the back when I hear Andrea yell. "Just the one?" Rick asked her. "I bet I could nail it from here." She said after looking through the binoculars. "No don't! Andrea put the gun down." Rick said to her.

I tell Jack to stay with the girls, there might be more than one. I quickly follow Shane and T-dog. "Best let us handle this." Shane said carrying a pickaxe. "Hold on Shane, Hershel wants to deal with walkers." Rick tells us. "What for man, we got this covered." Shane says as we start running for the walker.

Pulling out my knife when we got close, Rick points a gun to him. I realize that it was Daryl, covered in blood and dirt carrying his crossbow, my heart beating faster, felt like I couldn't breathe. "Is that Daryl?" Glenn asked I stared at him, I can't believe he's gone. "That's the third time pointed that thing at my head."

Taking a deep breath my head felling light from hardly breathing, when he talked I knew he is ok, hurt but alive at least. "You gonna pull the trigger or what?" he asked, then looked at me, I stared in his blue eyes not even remembering why I was mad at him in the first place.

Hearing a gunshot then seeing him fall, I drop my knife screaming and I run to him falling to my knees. I turn his head slowly seeing that it only grazed him. Rick helps me sit him up "I was kidding." He said before passing out, Shane takes my place and he and Rick lift him up and started carrying him back.

I could hear them talking but it was like it went right pass me, I could only focus on him. "Guys isn't this Sophia's." I look over to see T-dog holding up Sophia's doll.

When we got close to the house I ran to my tent grabbing the first aid bag and telling the kids everything is fine, before running up to the house. When I get to the porch, I open the door Beth and Jimmy were standing there, Beth pointed down the hall to where they took Daryl.

After thanking her, I walked to the room, my ears ringing my heart beating so fast. I open the door to see Hershel standing over him. I wash my hands quickly before walking to the other side of the bed, I open the pack and grab some disinfectant and start cleaning his head wound and thank god it was only a graze. I hold gauze to his head and pass Hershel whatever he needed that I could reach.

Daryl groan and opened his eyes he jerk, back I grab him shushing him his eyes sifting back and forth like he didn't know it was me. "It's ok Daryl its ok." I whispered to him rubbing his neck and the other side of his face, looking him in his eyes until he calmed down.

Hershel than started stitching the one wound at his back, when Rick knocked on the door carrying the map, I nodded for him to come in.

I was standing next to Hershel now wiping the blood away so he can see the wound properly, as Daryl showed Rick and Shane where on the map he found the doll. I kept cleaning the area around the wounds, as Hershel asked him where his horse is.

"If it's smart it left the country." He said looking at what I was doing. "We call that one nelly, as in nervous nelly. I could of told you she would of bucked you, if had bothered to ask." Hershel said to him as he washed his hands. "It's a wonder you people have survived this long." He said to Rick.

Rick and Shane left the room while Hershel started wrapping his head and then helped Daryl lay flat on his back to be more comfortable. When he left the room, I stood there before climbing on the bed carefully and lay next to him.

I touch his cheek lightly and lean in and gently kiss him. Our lips barely moving, just touching but it was more than enough for the both of us. I slowly pull away and lay my head down, closing my eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper looking him in his eyes, as he ran his fingers over my cheek down to my neck. "I could have lost you today." I mumble tearing up. "I was so mad at you and that would have been my last moment with you, being angry at you. You would have died thinking that I didn't love you." I cried and he pulled me to him and I hugged him, being careful of his side, crying into his shoulder.

After I finally stop crying my eyes out, we just lied there not saying anything. Anna peeked into the room after she knocked, to tell me they were about to start dinner. after telling her I'll be right there she closed the door. I get up and leaned over him and kissed him softly.

"Do you want me to bring you any food?" I ask him, helping him move the covers. "Nah, I'm just going to go to sleep." He said turning to his good side. "Ok I'll bring you some clean clothes in the morning, so you can take a shower ok." he just nodded.

I stare at him before walking out and then to the kitchen. I wash my hands in the sink before I start helping Carol and Anna set the table and put the food on the table.

It was an awkward silence, no one was talking all you could hear was us eating. Jack and Anna was sitting at, I guess the kid table with Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Jimmy.

It made Haylee very happy that she was sitting with the grownups. Patricia had made her a booster seat, out of pillows in the chair next to me.

Gracie was sitting in my lap, being just as quiet as everyone else. She was very sleepy, she started falling asleep chewing on food she didn't even have. I had to keep swaying her to wake her up.

"Does anybody know how to play guitar? Someone has to know how to play." Glenn asked turning around to all of us. "Otis did." Patricia said we all got quieter when she said that. "Yes, and he was very good too." Hershel replied we all went back to quietly eating after that.

I rolled eyes smirking when I saw Maggie pass Glenn a note, which was cute, I'll have to tease him later for that. After we were done eating, I told them I was taking the girls to bed and then I'll be back to help them clean up.

After taking both Anna and Haylee to the bathroom, we all walked to the car, T-dog and Dale with us. I get them ready for bed, Gracie was out before I could change her into her pj's. After closing the door after the girls were settled, I say good night to Jack, who just went into the tent and I walked all the way back to the house.

I see Carol picking up some of the plates, I walk over and take it from her. "Good to bed, you cooked, we will clean." I said to her, she gave me a smile then walked away. I started where she left off, I look over my shoulder to see her hand Beth a few plates.

Sighing I set down the plates in my hand, walking over to her and started pushing her gently to the door, all of us laughing a little. I send her on her way with Glenn close behind.

Scraping the plates off before setting them by the sink for Beth to wash, after a while Patricia left to go to bed, so it was just Maggie, Beth and I cleaning up. We were almost done when Maggie started putting the plates away, she than just took off running.

I look to Beth who looked just as confused as me. I help Beth with the rest, before I went to check on Daryl. I walk in to see that he ate and was now sleeping snoring away. I cover him up some more before grabbing the tray and taking it to the kitchen.

Telling Beth to go to bed and I'll finish cleaning. I just finished cleaning, when Hershel walked in. "sorry, I was cleaning this last plate and I'll go." He nodded his head and just stood there. I set everything by the sink, since I didn't know where anything went and turned to him.

"A part of me wants to beg you to let us stay, but I won't lower myself to that." I tell him before walking out of the kitchen and the house and to my tent, I lay down my eyes closing as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**Well that's chapter three tell me what you think. **

**Thank you FanFicGirl10 I hope you like this one just as much**

**Thank you jomaxrox for liking them and I'm happy you like this one as well.**


	4. Secrets

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead.**

**AHHHHH! I just saw the preview for the next half of walking dead season three February tenth I can't wait.**

**This first part is a day after ****Chupacabra**** and the day before ****secrets**** ok so you are not confused, I'm adding an extra day in between .**

Getting up early, I walk out of the tent and stretch, it is so uncomfortable to sleep on the ground all the time, even with all the extra blankets, padding the floor. Starting the fire, since I was the only one up and out of my tent.

Sitting there gazing into the fire, I started thinking about what I had to do today. Rick and Shane are going to teach the others how to shoot tomorrow. Not wanting Anna to ever hold a gun, I knew that was stupid and naive to think that, she needs to learn how to defend herself.

Sighing I rub my face trying to wake up some more, smiling at Rick when he came out of his tent. "How is Carl doing? Anna won't stop asking me." I ask as he sits down, in a fold out chair, near me. "He is doing good. Hershel said that he can walk around today. I don't know what I would do…" he stopped talking, rubbing his eyes.

"Don't think like that. He survived, he is going to be walking around today, which is a good thing." I say softly he nodded his head. "I know." He said simply than we talked about what we were going to do today. He was going on watch in a bit and then after lunch, I'll be taking Carol up to the highway, to see if Sophia was there.

I got up and went to Daryl's tent and grabbed him some clothes, before walking up to the house. I knock on the door lightly, just in case some of them were still sleeping.

Patricia opened the door and I thank her before walking down the hall to where Daryl was staying. I knock again before opening the door, he was awake just lying there, I smile at him, and he looks so bored. I set his clothes down on the chair that was in the room and sit next to him.

"In a bit will get you up to the shower, then I'll take you to your tent, you look bored out of your mind." I said trying not to laugh, he just glared at me. "I'd like that. Love the bed though." He said a smirk on his face.

Grinning, I got up and watch as he sits up. I could see the pain on his face, but I didn't help, manly pride or some shit like that. I grab one arm, so he wouldn't fall back down, once he was up and standing, it didn't put a lot of pressure on his side, so he could walk fine, but I could see it hurting him walking up the stairs.

Passing Maggie on are way to the bathroom, I set his clothes on the counter and then walk to the shower and turn it on. I turn around to see that he was having a hard time getting his pants off. I move his hands out of the way and unbuckle his belt, flashes of the CDC came to mind, and I couldn't help but smile as I help him out of his pants.

I lean against the sink, until he was done taking his shower. I then help him dry off and get dressed. Standing in front of him as we walked down the stairs, then we made our way to his tent.

I help him lay down, before I walk outside to grab some breakfast for us. Anna was awake and sitting down eating her breakfast with Jack and Dale, the girls are still asleep since it is still early.

I kiss Anna on her head, and then walk back to Daryl. We ate in an awkward silence, not having anything to say. "After lunch, I'll be taking Carol to the highway, then I'll be straight back, ok." he nodded telling me to be careful.

Before getting up and walking out, I lean in and kiss his cheek, close to his lips. It is still a little hard for me to be close with him, but I'm trying and I'm very happy that I get the chance to.

I walk over to the car, to see that the girls are just getting up. I pick up Gracie and then help Haylee down, after I put her shoes on, then we walk to the others and sit down.

Just before lunch Rick and Lori came out of the house with Carl close behind, we all clapped and hollered, making him smile real big.

After we all ate, I got up and hugged Carl before Carol and I started to get ready to leave. I make sure the kids were ok and then I went to Daryl's tent, he was propped up now, cleaning his crossbow. I tell him that I'm going now, and then walked away quickly to the car, Carol is already in the passenger seat ready to go.

I was diving Carol's car to the highway, thinking about what has happened today, I want so bad to go back to how we were before, with him and I have forgave him, it's just not the same.

I'm trying to stay positive for Carol's sake but every day we don't find her, my thoughts get darker and darker, I not sure we are going to find her, alive at least. I then feel so guilty that I was thinking like that, as we both stared at the sign for Sophia, it was starting to fade a little.

She only cried some on the way back, when we got there she went straight for the RV. Dale patted my back as I watched her go. "I'm not sure how much more she can handle, Dale." I whisper so only we can hear.

He pulled me to his side giving me a hug, before I left to go play with my kids. I hug Gracie so tight when I lift her up, I don't know what I would do if I lost any of them.

The rest of the day was uneventful, we ate dinner, and I put the girls to bed, and then changed Daryl's gauze. He tried to say something to me but he couldn't get the words out. I than walk to my tent, and go right to sleep.

I was on watch the next morning, I watch everyone mill around, checking the perimeter of the farm, seeing nothing. I watch as Lori, Carl and Anna feed the chickens as Haylee runs around the camp trying to catch a butterfly.

I climbed down the ladder after my shift and Andrea came up to me, she stopped me from walking pass her, "I'm sorry." She said simply. "I know you were just protecting the group, but not only could you have killed him, but that gunshot could have brought hundreds of walkers here, so next time you feel like protecting the group, think first."

I walked away from her, oh how I wanted to hurt her and I wanted to say some things, which little ears shouldn't hear, but Haylee was running over to me, I pick her and walk to Daryl's tent.

He was reading what looked to be some crime novel, he looked bored again, sitting down with Haylee next to me. "I have some better books and Jack has some comic books, if you want those." I tell him grinning.

"what comics?" laughing I get up Haylee just sat there, l walked to my tent and grabbed Jacks comic book bag, passing a sleeping Gracie, she woke up with growing pains last night and only went to sleep a few hours ago.

I walk back to his tent to see Haylee curled up next to him, fast asleep sucking on her thumb, clenching onto his shirt. He looked a little scared. "She just crawled up and went to sleep. Why would she do that?" he whispered.

I look at him confused for a second. "You are a great man Daryl, she knows that and so do I. Don't you ever doubt yourself again." I tell him looking him straight in his eyes, he just nodded his head.

I know being together with me is different for him, he told me at the CDC that he has had relationships before, but he told me it just sex more than anything. I told him they were just too stupid to realize what they had, that got a laugh out of him.

"Do you want me to take her?" I ask him looking down at her. "Nah, she is fine where she is." He said resting his head back smiling, I nodded and walked out of his tent.

Anna walked up to me, I could tell she was about to asked me something, she had this look on her face, she was very determined to make me say yes. I had to keep a smile of my face, as she listed off all the reasons why she needed to learn how to shoot a gun.

"Slowdown hun, I already told Rick that I wanted you to learn and before you get too excited I have rules." She was smiling, almost bouncing where she stood. I then tell her it's not a toy, respect the weapon, listen to Rick and Shane and everything else I could think of.

To make sure she was lessening to me I made her repeat it twice back to me before I was happy. We hug then she runs off to tell Carl, while I went to my tent. Gracie is awake but she was whimpering, I rub her legs until it stops hurting, I change her and take her out of tent for some late breakfast.

I was staying behind with Dale, Glenn and the girls as the others went to learn how to shoot Jack knows a little, from hunting with his grandpa, I hug them both as they leave. It was very quiet with all them gone, I sit with the girls on a blanket under a shade tree, and it was very nice and peaceful to lay there with them.

When they got back, Anna told me in great detail how she did. I tell her I'm proud of her, she hugged me after I said that, I hold her for a while before she runs off to Carl. I then start helping T-dog and Carol with lunch.

I bring Daryl his lunch when it was done. "How about a walk after you're done eating, get you out of this tent for a while?" I ask him handing him his plate. "That sound real good, I hate being cooped up in here." He says with his mouth full of food, guys. I feed both the girls and put Gracie in her playpen, Jack is going to watch them for me, so I could take a walk with Daryl.

We walked for a while and we didn't talk most of the way. "Did you mean it?" he whispered, I stop walking when he asked that. "Yes." I said simply. He sighed and turned to me "I know I fucked up ok, when you passed out I… I didn't know what I would do if I lost you. I…" he voice cracked some, I walked over to him wrapping my arms around him, and he pulled me ever closer.

"I know what you said was just you trying to push me away but it still hurt, but we are working on it." I tell him looking him in his eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" I just nodded my head and he did kiss me, taking my breath away, then he just walked away. I stood there dumbfounded. "Jerk!" I yell at him running to catch up to him. He was laughing away, when I caught up to him, ooh I wanted to punch him so bad.

**Well that is secrets hope you like it tell me what you think.**

**Thank you ****FanFicGirl10, jomaxrox, wildcat717, JCLProductions88 and astainintime for reviewing, following and favoring my story thank you guys so much.**


	5. Pretty much dead already

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead wish I did but I don't. **

**Here is the episode ****pretty much dead already**** hope you guys like it. **

Walking up the next day was difficult, Gracie would not go to sleep last night and then Haylee had a tantrum because Gracie was in my tent and she wasn't, then Anna shyly got out of the car and quickly came to our tent. I do not know how or when it happened, but we got all tangled up. Haylee kicked me in the face, **twice**. Jack had got up and left some time in the middle of the night, _lucky. ___

We were all sitting around eating our breakfast, Andrea was sharping her knife, and Daryl and I kept sneaking glances at each other. Carol was giving Anna and Haylee some more eggs when Glenn stood up, "um guys…" I look up at him taking a bite of my eggs. "So uhh… the barn is full of walkers." I started at him, everyone got up and started for the barn. Anna was shaking, so Jack helped get her in the car, I then put the girls in as well and shut the door. Jack and I then made our way to the barn with the others.

I watch with the others as Shane gets closer and looks through some crack in the barn, I could hear them in there, all the way from where I was standing. I watch as Shane and Rick argue about leaving, "we can't go." "Why Rick why?" "Because my daughter is still out there." I pull Carol to my side. "I think we all need to consider the other possibility." I was surprised when he said that but I know most of us do believe that, it still is a horrible thing to say or even think, there is still a chance she is fine.

"I'm close to finding this girl. I just found her damn doll three days ago." Daryl said to him, he was getting angry. "You found a doll Daryl. You found a doll." Shane said mocking him. I push Jack back as Shane started yelling at Daryl. I pull Carl to me when they started fighting, everyone trying to push them a part.

"Hershel sees those things in there as people. Sick people. His wife and step-son are in there." Dale tells us, I stare in disbelief at him. "You knew?" Rick asked just as shocked as all of us. "Yesterday I talked to Hershel." "And you waited the night?" Shane asked getting even angrier. "I thought we could survive the night. One more night. We did."

I was so angry at him, my babies were in just a tent last night and he went about this on a maybe. "If Hershel thinks those things are alive or no…" Shane started yelling but was cut off by the walkers banging and growling at the barn door. I push Jack behind me and Daryl turns me around to leave. We then walk back all the way to the camp. I craw into the back with the girls and tell them they are staying in the car at night from now on, no matter what.

Later that morning, I was sitting at the picnic table with Carl and Anna, as they did some school work, when Lori walks up and sits down with us. The girls were just a little a ways from me, I didn't want them to far from me or the car. I kept checking to make sure I had my knife on me the whole time and I made sure both Jack and Anna had their knives as well.

"Does Shane think Sophia is dead?" Carl asked and both Lori and look at him, I look to Anna to see that she was probably thinking the same thing. "Shanes just scared." Lori tells him, I rub Anna's back. "Of the walkers in the barn?" "Ya."

"Mom, I'm not leaving until we find Sophia, I don't want to leave even after that." "Well, were not leaving Carl." I stare at her hoping it was true, but I'm not so sure. "I just think she… she will like it here. This place it can be a home." When Carl says that, I pull Anna to me and look at Lori over her head she pulled Carl to her, she looked just as startled and scared as how I feel. We pull away from them so they could get some more work done.

I look up from some long ass math problem, to see Daryl walking to his tent, holding his side. I get up and walk over, and when I reach his tent, I could tell he was furious. He pushes my hand out of the way, before I could reach his shirt. The look I gave him next made him reconsider doing that again, I lift his shirt to see only a little bleeding.

"You didn't pop any of your stitches it's just bleeding a little." I tell him after taking the gauze off. "Do you think we will find her?" he asks as I put tape on the new gauze. I look up at him and sigh, "I do, but I'm not sure at the same time…"I stopped looking down. "I want to believe that we will and she will be fine… but it has been almost five days since she got lost. We have a hard time and we are adults, she just twelve Daryl… I want and I pray, I have never prayed before all **this** started but I do pray, that she is ok but every day it's getting harder to believe..."

I look up at him his was a mixed between angry at me and accepting. I wipe my eyes looking out of his tent to watch the girls as they play with some toys. I wrap my arms around him and he runs his hand up and down my back trying to comfort me a little. He tells me he needs to apologize to Carol somehow, he tells what happened with her, I nod my head and pull away and walk out of his tent and over to the girls and sit with them for a bit before there nap.

The girls just went to sleep, so I walk to the porch with the others. I was sitting next to Anna on the steps near Glenn and Maggie when T-dog and Andrea walked up asking what was going on, Rick wasn't back yet. I see Daryl and Carol walking up the road. "Ya you were. What the hell?" Daryl said walking up to us. "Rick told us he was going out." Carol said looking at them.

"Damn it. Isn't anyone taking this seriously? We got us a damn trail. Here we go." he said then turning to see Shane walking up with the bag of guns and hands Daryl one, he cocks the shot gun, looking at me and then to Anna. I stare at him then to Shane, who started ranting about keeping us safe, I think he is having a small break down. "You going to take yours, protect your own." He said to me holing out my gun, I grab it from his hand.

I look in disbelief as he tried to give Carl a gun. I push Anna more behind me. "Oh shit!" I hear T-dog say, I look to where he was looking to see Rick, Jimmy and Hershel pulling two walkers on a pole. Shane and the others start running for them, to the barn, I tell Jack to stay here with the girls, and he and Anna ran to the camp as I ran to the barn. I run up just as Shane started shooting the walker Hershel was holding on to.

"Enough looking for a little girl who is gone. Enough living next to a barn full of walkers trying to kill us. Enough, Rick it ain't like it was before! Now if ya'll want to live. You got to fight for it! Right here, right now. " Shane yelled at us before running up to the barn door tearing off the lock and tossing the board holding it closed.

I started shaking as the walkers started pouring out of the barn, I run up in between Daryl and T-dog, taking the safety off, I start shooting them. Guns going off, all the walkers falling down, until they stopped coming out. I lower my gun seeing all of them on the ground, I look back at the door when I hear growling.

Feeling like I couldn't breathe, when she walked out. Sophia came stumbling out, growling at us. I hear Carol running up and Daryl catches her, both falling to the ground. I cover my moth sobbing staring at her, she was gone. My knees feel weak and I fall to the ground as Rick walks up to her, lifting his gun and pulls the trigger.

**I cried when she walked out of the barn when I first say the episode. Well tell me what you think. **

**Thank you xmenfan33 and 0TigerFang0 for following mine story it means a lot you guys and thank you all who are still reading this.**


	6. A nabraskan trigger finger

**Disclaimer: don't own the walking dead. How many times do I have to do this? This chapter is why it is rated M ok.**

**This is ****Nebraska ****and ****trigger finger**** put together so that it wouldn't be short ok.**

**If you see TWDTWDTWD it is rated M-ish, so those under 18 or those of you who do not want to read that sort of thing, can skip that part. I'll tell you when you can look again ok.**

Trying to breathe was hard, as I stared at her lying there. I could hear Carol crying and Beth sobbing. "Don't look. Don't look." Daryl told her, picking her up. She pushed him away and ran back to the camp.

I feel him take my gun away, before lifting me up. He turned me around and helped me walk, holding me up the whole way back. Jack was standing by the tent staring at the RV, where I could hear Carol.

Daryl looked to the RV, then to me and I nodded my head, lightly pushing him to the RV. Jack walks into the tent behind me, the girls looked up at me petrified.

Sobbing I fall to the ground and started crying, pulling them to me, Jack sits next to me and I pull him close.

Breathing in deep a few times, "Sophia is in heaven now." I tell them softly. Anna started shaking her head crying, I pull her to me and she laid her head on my lap and I run my fingers through her hair, trying to give her some comfort.

"Is she wif mommy now?" Haylee asked her eyes brimming with tears, I wipe them from her face nodding, not being able to say anything. We lay there crying and I hold them close trying to forget what was waiting outside.

Daryl pushes aside the tent flap and walks in, I wipe my cheeks looking up at him, he just stares for a while. "They're going to do the service now." He whispered, looking away from all our sad faces. I ask if they want to go, when Anna and Jack said yes, I sat up.

Haylee looked up at Daryl, holding her arms out to him, he looked confused and stunned, but bent down and picks her up anyway. She wraps her arms around his neck and lays her head on his shoulder, as I pick up a sleeping Gracie.

Jack holds onto Anna, helping her walk to where they buried Sophia. We all just stood there in silence looking at the three new graves. After a while of silence, we all started moving away, Jack is going to stay and help the others with the walkers, Daryl and I walked backed to camp Anna slowly behind us.

Walking back to our tents, I laid down Gracie, then took a sleeping Haylee from him and laid her down next to Gracie, putting her bear beside her. Anna walked in and lay down, pulling her legs up to her chest. I bend down and kiss her forehead before standing and walking out to see Daryl pacing back and forth in front of his tent.

He walked into his tent huffing and started throwing his stuff into his bags, I walk in but he doesn't stop. "Don't leave." I beg him, he stopped packing, his back to me, my lip quivering. "You can move to a different area… just don't leave, please." I tell him, he turns around so fast and yanks me to him crashing his lips to mine, kissing me hard, like he's trying to feel something.

Pulling away, both of us breathing hard, he leaned his head to mine, whispering ok. I relax a little when he said it, I lean up and kiss him gently.

As much as I hated that he will so far, but I knew he needed some space from everyone, I was fine with it as long as he stayed here, stayed with me. I helped him put his tent up and bring everything to his tent. I stood there in front of him not knowing what to say to him.

I started to turn to walk away but he grabbed my hand, I look at him and he pulls me to him and lightly grazes my bottom lip with his thumb, then my cheek and leans down and kisses me softly, almost like he was apologizing for how he kissed me earlier. I pull away and tapping his cheek, I give him a small smile, before turning and walking back to camp, passing Lori on the way.

I make sure the girls are fine, they were just lying in the tent, and Anna was lightly playing with them. I sit there with them making sure that we all drank some water and ate a light lunch before getting up. I kiss them before leaving and slowly made my way to the RV.

I walk up the stairs and sit across from Carol, at the table. "I don't want to hear any more so if…" she started, I just shushed her lightly and grabbed her hands. "We don't have to say anything. Just sit here, if that is ok with you?" I ask softly, she nodded and we sat there holding each other's hands, until it started to get dark.

We got up when the sun started to go down, she walks pass me and up to the house, while I walk into my tent and I pick up Gracie, Haylee and Anna were walking in front of me, to the house.

The girls were in the living room, as I helped Patricia and Carol with dinner. It was just some salad, rolls and some jerky, but no one was complaining. Dale helped me set the table and we started to sit down.

"They just got hold up somewhere. We'll go tomorrow and look for em." Shane said sitting down, I started feeding Gracie and Haylee their dinner, while Shane tried to comfort Carl. "Lori, dinner." Carol said walking towards the other room. "She's not in there." Maggie told her.

"Where is she?" Dale asked and everyone looked around at each other. "Carl, when was the last time you saw your mom?" Shane asked him. "This afternoon." he said. "She was worried about Rick asked me to look in on Carl." Andrea told us. "She went after them?" Dale asked her. "She didn't say that."

"Nobody panic. She is around here somewhere." Shane said and they all got up, Jack went to help look with the others, I stayed there to feed the girls, so that I could put them to bed.

After eating, Anna and I got up with the girls and left the house, she held Haylee's hand and we walked back to camp and to the car. I changed the girls into their pj's and they went to bed, Anna stayed even though she wasn't that tired, I hugged her and climbed out shutting the door.

I walked to the others as Shane and T-dog came back. "Where is she?" Carl asked us. Carol came jogging up to us. "She asked Daryl to go into town. She must have gone herself." She told us trying to catch her breath. Carl started to sobbing and turn and walked away.

I went to him to help him get back to the house, we stopped when we heard a car start, seeing Shane driving off. He started to crying, I pull him to me, just letting him cry. "How about you stay with me, until they get back ok." he just nodded and we walked back and went to my tent I turned on the lamp and we sat down and started looking at some of Jacks comics until they get back.

We could hear a car pulling up, so we got up and made our way to the car. We walked up as Lori started hitting Shane, he lightly pushed her away from him. "I will find him. Now look, first things first, I got to look after you. I got to make sure the baby is alright, ok." I looked at Shane in surprise then to Lori.

"You're having a baby? Why didn't you tell me?" Carl asked from next to me. Lori stared at him not being able to say anything. "Come on. Let's make sure you are alright." Dale tells her, holding his hand out to her. "Come on." Andrea said helping her to the house.

Jack and I stood there for a second, before we went to our tent. I pick up all the comics and put them away, Jack fell right to sleep. I lay down but I can't fall asleep, I get up and grab my flash light and make my way to Daryl's tent.

I get close and see that he has a fire going he was sitting there watching as I walked up he relaxed a little when he saw that it was me. I sit next to him holding my hands out to the fire it's starting to get colder at night, it will be winter soon.

"Lori is back, the others are still gone, oh and Lori's pregnant." I tell him looking into the fire. I look to him he didn't looked surprised by that, "you knew?" "Ya heard her and Glenn taking about it." I looked back at the fire smiling a little.

"I can tell something is wrong, you have this look." I tell him but kept my eyes on the fire. He sighed rubbing his thumb over his bottom lip. "Said some things to Carol, I was so angry said some things I shouldn't have." I lean my head on his shoulder. "She knows you didn't mean it but it doesn't hurt to say you're sorry."

I started to get tired so I sat up and then stood up stretching. He stood up and walked over to his tent, taking his shirt off, before walking into his tent. I stand there staring at his tent and I slowly walk over.

TWDTWDTWD (rated m don't like don't read) TWDTWDTWD

"You joining me or what?" he asked jokingly, undoing his belt looking out at me. My eyes strayed down his chest, going lower, he started smirking at me when he saw me blushing. I glare at him then lift my shirt off, throwing it at him then take off my bra, dropping it on the floor of his tent as I step in. That smirk fell of his face, when I unbuttoned my pants, realizing I wasn't backing down. His eyes got darker, his breathing shallower, when I bend down and zip the tent door closed.

I stand back up keeping eye contact the whole time as I pull down my jeans, his breathing getting faster his eyes even darker is that was possible. Though it was dark I could still see him clearly from the fire outside of his tent.

He grabbed my hip and neck kissing me hard taking my breath away. His hands roamed my sides and back pulling me closer to him. My hands traveled up his arms, feeling him tense up and to his shoulders down his chest feeling that his breathing is as fast and unsteady as mine.

He pulled away from me when my hands reached the edge of his pants he started kissing, liking and biting his way down my neck making me moan. He stepped out of his pants and backed away and sat down on his bed and looked up at me.

I watch him as I slowly get on my knees and straddle he my hands around his neck pulling him closer kissing him with everything I had. Grinding my hips when I feel him getting harder his head falls back as he groans.

My lips trailed down his neck feeling his pulse racing so fast. His facial hair scratching against my cheek his hands came to hips gripping me hard pushing down my underwear but got frustrated when they didn't go down farther he tug on them hard ripping them off, gasping when he did but I'll get mad at him later.

Breathing hard grasping his shoulders as he pulled me down harder, moaning I bite his shoulder to stop from screaming to loud. Feeling him deep inside me, his hands grabbing my hips so tight, as he turned us around.

Lying on my back with him above me thrusting into me, groaning against my neck, not even slowing down. Harder and faster not stopping, throwing my head back moaning his name trying to hold onto something anything trying desperately to catch my breath.

Panting he pulls away from me and lays down next to me both of us trying to catch our breath, my body still humming from what just happened. Moaning I turned to my side feeling him move behind me, he pulls a blanket over us his arm around my waist pulling me close to him.

TWDTWDTWD (its ok to look now) TWDTWDTWD

He rubs his face against my back, wrapping his arms around my waist, he slid his finger up and down my arm. "Did you mean it?" he whispered, I squeeze his arm a little tighter. "What?" my mind still foggy. "What you said when I got hurt did you mean it?" he mumbled into my shoulder. I smile breathing in, "yes." "Say it." I pull away and look over my shoulder at him. He lifts his head and looks me in the eyes.

I put my hand on the side of his face and kiss him softly and slowly, pulling away gently, "I love you." I whisper in his ear. He wrapped his arms around me and we stayed there like that falling asleep hearing nothing but crickets the fire crackling and our breathing, forgetting everything else for just a little while.

Feeling someone hands on hips I open my eyes but quickly close them it was bright outside, I bring my hand up and cover my eyes. When my eyes adjusted to the light I turn my head a bit seeing him glaring at my side his hands gently touching my hip. I look down to see some bruising on my each side of my hips.

"I have always bruised easy, though I never got them that way before." Closing my eyes smiling thinking about last night, _wow just wow_. I look back at him seeing him still glaring at them.

I sit up next to him and I put my hand at the back of his neck he looks away from the bruises up to my eyes. "They are just bruises. I bruise easy always have, ok you did nothing wrong ok." he nodded then smirked slowly looking down then back up, I quickly looked down and grabbed the blanket he looked away, he wasn't laughing but I can see his shoulders moving up and down.

I smack his back and reached for my shirt and pulled it on. I smack him again when I saw my underwear he started laughing then pulling his pants up and gets up. "jerk." I said pulling my pants up as he threw on his shirt and left the tent.

"Heard that." He called out to me. "You were supposed to." I tell him throwing the ripped underwear into the fire that damn smirk on his face. I lean down to where he was sitting and kiss him pulling away his closed when I did then he glared up at me laughing I walked away.

I walked all the way back to camp waving to dale who was on watch checking on the girls they all were still sleeping but I change Gracie before leaving. Closing the door quietly I walked to my tent.

Jack was up but and reading a comic he looked up at me and smirked I roll my eyes and sat down on bed. "At least I didn't have to hear it this time." "Ugh!" I scream and started to hit him with my pillow but he only laughed harder.

Jack left the tent still laughing, I clean myself best I could before changing into some clean clothes. I zip the tent closed and started to get breakfast ready for everyone. Carol came out of the RV and helped me finish I smiled at her and she gave me a small smile in return.

I got the girls out after they woke up, Haylee quickly ran to the RV so she could to the bathroom, Anna close behind, I need to start potty training Gracie.

I was getting the girls there food when Daryl walked up he walked up to Carol and tried to say something she just patted his arm and smiled at him handing him his food. He turned and walked over and sat next to me, o gave him a small smile before turn back to Gracie who has playing with her eggs.

Shane told us they were going to wait until after twelve and if they still weren't back they would go and find them, Shane, Andrea and Daryl were going.

After we all ate jack got out his baseball and started to play with Carl and Anna, but now they were just chasing Haylee who stole the ball and won't give it back. Laughing at them while I brushed Gracie's hair it was starting to curl at lot she looks so much like Gwen.

Eleven rolled around and they still weren't back so I started packing Shane's car with some supplies, just in case, before they left. Daryl came up next to me, sliding his hand to my hip, he lifted my shirt up again, and I push it down and turn to him.

"Stop ok, it's just some bruises, it don't even hurt, so stop worrying." I whisper to him, he still looked mad at himself. T-dog came over carrying some water and Shane walked up and threw in the gun bag. I hand Daryl a canteen and he takes the cap of and takes a drink of water as Andrea walks up.

I turn to the road hearing a car driving up, to see Hershel's suv pulling up. We all walk to where they parked, Anna pushed the stroller up to us, Haylee helping her. I walked to them and picked up Haylee, wincing when she accidently hit my hip.

I could see Daryl looking at me, before he looked down, glaring at the floor. "Who the hell is that?" T-dog asked and I looked over at the car, seeing a guy blindfolded, passed out in the back seat. "That's Randall." Glenn said simply.

I took the girls to my tent, as the guys moved Randall to the shed. I take Gracie out of the stroller and lay her down on my sleeping bag, Haylee lies down next to her, holding her teddy and started sucking her thumb, starting to fall asleep.

"I'll stay here so you can go talk with the others." Anna whispered holding her book, I nod my head as she sits down and started reading. I zip the tent closed and made my way up to the house. Daryl was watching me walk to the house and up the stairs, I opened the door and he walked in behind me.

"Isn't that the same thing as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked Rick as we walked in. "He'll have a fighting chance." Rick replied to her. "Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are." Shane said glaring at Rick. "He was blindfolded the whole way here. He is not a threat." He told us.

I tuned them out, not really wanting to be here. Daryl rubbed my hips lightly, I leaned back against him, I'm going to have to talk to him again. "Look we aren't going to do anything about it today. Let's just cool off." Rick said and Daryl pushed me towards the door, I open the door and we walk out.

He grabs my wrist and pulls me all the way to his tent, he opens the tent for me and I walk in. he stands there glaring at my waist as he takes off his crossbow and sets it down, then lifts up my shirt and pulls it off. He grazes the bruises on my hips, "I'm sorry." I sigh, not this again. I lift his chin up, so he would look me in the eyes.

"I don't regret last night, yes ok fine, they hurt but only a little. Last night was amazing, so I have bruises, but I wouldn't change a thing." I tell smiling at him, he gives me a small smile and lean in, and I pull him closer, our lip meeting so gently but getting faster, harder.

I pull away a little and bite his bottom lip grinning, I push away from him and get down on his bed looking up at him, he was smirking standing over me. He starts to take off his leather vest, I shake my head smirking, "leave it on."

**I'm mean I know it, hope you guys enjoyed it. Tell me what you think.**


	7. 18 miles out

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead. This is ****18 miles out****.**

**Sorry it has been awhile, my family and I have been really sick so I am sorry for that, here you go. **

The week has passed by slowly, Daryl took me hunting a few times, and I said a few because half the time, we couldn't keep our hands off each other, not that I mind all that much.

We all went about our daily routines, trying to forget about the guy in the shed. Rick and Shane are going to take the kid, Randall, away tomorrow morning. We give him some time to heal his leg first, before we drop him off somewhere.

I walked to the girls, sitting with them on the laid out blanket, enjoying the sun and breeze. Watching the others move around camp, going about their day. Jack was chopping some wood for the fire while Anna sits under a shade tree, reading a book she has read already.

I got up and made my way over to the hanging clothes, feeling that they are dry now, I start taking them down and folding them and put them in a basket that was at my feet.

After I was done with my chores, dinner was done. We ate in silence, none of us having much to say. After the girls were done eating, I took them to the RV to go potty, Gracie is doing better about using the toilet, it was hard at first but I got her little pee pee dance down. I still put diapers on her at night though and she has her accidents but she is doing better, it has only been a week after all.

I change them into their pj's in the RV, before I take them to the car and put them to bed. I change my clothes in my tent before Jack came in. I lay down and tried to fall asleep, still having a hard time keeping my eyes closed, I want to ask Glenn to get me some sleeping pills, when he is on a run, but I know how stupid that would be.

I cover my eyes with my pillow, the sun right in my eyes. I turn over on my side yawning, they will be taking Randall away today, I stop myself from rubbing the scar on my side, when I think about it. I sit up and put my shoes on, then grab my gun and knife belt, strapping it on and walking out of the tent.

Jack and Anna were already up and sitting on the bench with Carl and Glenn, eating some breakfast. I walk to the car and open the door seeing that only Haylee is awake, I change her into her light blue summer dress and put her shoes on, before helping her down to the ground. I watch her run over to the bench and sit next to Anna. I change Gracie's diaper before getting out of the car and shutting the door quietly.

I ate my breakfast first before getting Gracie out of the car, she just woke up when I opened the door. She was still a little sleepy, so she rests her head on my shoulder, as I walk back to the bench, and help her eat her breakfast.

I sit her down in her play pen after she is done eating, Anna and Haylee are close by as I went around camp packing some supplies into two bags, just in case something were to happen when Rick and Shane are gone. I put the bags into the back seat of Shane's car as he walks up, putting in some gas cans in the trunk.

I grab a cd player that Glenn had found earlier this week and hand it to him, he looked a little confused. "So he can't hear what you guys are saying. It's a mix cd of rock songs, so just turn it up and he won't hear anything." I tell him before walking off and went to the girls taking a break before I had to go collect water.

I pick up Gracie and take Haylee's hand and walk to my tent Anna and Carl close behind, as the guys went to put Randall into the car. I stand outside the tent watching Daryl, who has his crossbow on Randall, the whole time they moved him to the trunk of Shane's car. Rick and Shane left shortly after that, they are going to take him some eighteen miles away, before turning him lose.

After making sure the girls had their toys and some water and Carl had some comics to read they all were laid back and relaxing as I left the tent. I went around collecting all the empty bottles and jugs so I could fill them up.

I put the last empty jug in the wheelbarrow as T-dog and I made our way, all the way to the third well, since the second has that walker in it, we cut it off and bordered it up. We had to walk farther then even where Daryl's tent is, to get there, but it was clean water, although we still boil it just to be safe.

We took turns pumping the water out, my arms felt like jelly by the time we were done filling them all up. T-dog pushed the wheelbarrow half way back then I pushed it the rest, my arm is fine now, just a lot of scabs, T-dog's arm was better as well, he will be getting his stiches out in a few weeks.

When we got back to camp, he walked off somewhere, as I started the fire, so I could get the water boiled, so that it will be cooled down by tonight. Jack came over and started helping pour the water into the pot, when Lori came running up. "Andrea! Have you seen Maggie or Hershel?" she yells to Andrea, who was on watch.

"I haven't seen Hershel but Maggie and Glenn walked by, about twenty minutes ago." "Can you find her for me? I have to get back to the house." Lori asked before running back to the house. I look up at Andrea who looked confused too. "You got this?" I asked Jack pointing to the water.

"Ya, what was that about?" shrugging my shoulders, shaking my head, I have no idea. I told Andrea I'll go get Maggie, as she started to climb down the ladder, before I took off running to where I saw her and Glenn last.

"Maggie! Maggie hey something is wrong. Lori wants you at the house." I tell her when I caught up to them. "What's wrong?" she asks as we started our way back to the house. "No idea, but it sounded serious, so let's hurry." I tell her as we run back to the house. I checked on the girls both of whom were taking a nap, while Anna and Carl sat by Jack, still reading there books.

I made my way to the house and walked to the kitchen to where Lori and Andrea were, Lori telling that Beth wants to commit suicide.

I start to help Lori clean up the kitchen, as Maggie and Beth start yelling at each other. I start washing the dishes, trying not to listen to them yelling. "Where's Hershel?" Andrea asks Lori who was sitting on the counter near me. "Maggie doesn't want him to find out yet." she tells us, eating a chip off of a plate by her.

"It's a family affair. We'll let them work it out." she said jumping down from the counter. "That's working it out?" Andrea asks hearing them still yelling. "When Beth stops fighting, then it's time to worry." Lori said as she hands me some more dirty plates.

"This could have been handled better." "How so?" "You shouldn't have taken the knife away." I stop washing the plate and turn around when Andrea said that. "What?" I ask her, but she just ignores me having some sort of bitch fit with Lori.

"You were wrong, like dale taking my gun. That wasn't your decision." Andrea says to her as she put the leftovers in the fridge. I turn back around and start washing the dishes again tuning them out, well trying too anyway.

"I came through it." Andrea tells Lori crossing her arms. "And became such a productive member of the group." Lori says throwing a towel down, next to me on the counter.

"I contribute. I help keep this place safe." "The men can handle this. They don't need your help." Lori tells her wiping down the counter top. I finish the last glass so I turn around and face them.

"I'm sorry, what would you have me do?" Andrea asked walking a bit closer to her leaning on the island counter. "Oh there is plenty of work to go around." Lori says tuning around and facing Andrea.

"Are you serious? Everything falls apart and you're in my face over skipping laundry." I shake my head and lean against the counter, watching them bicker back and forth.

"It puts a burden on the rest of us. On me and Carol, Emily and Patricia and Maggie, cooking and cleaning and caring for Beth and you don't care about anyone but yourself. You sit up on the RV working on your tan, with a shot gun in your lap." I cross my arms smirking when Lori said that.

"No, I am on watch against walkers that is what really matters not fresh mint leaves in the lemonade." Oh who and the hell is she trying to fool. "And we are provide stability, we are trying to create a life worth living." rolling my eyes, they both were acting like kids.

"Crashing her… you're insane." Lori says glaring at Andrea. "No you are and you're the one self-centered, the way you take it all for granted." "My husband is out there for the hundredth time. My son was shot! Don't you dare tell me, I take it all for granted." Lori snaps at Andrea.

"You don't get it do you, your husband came back from the dead, you're son too and now you have a baby on the way. The rest of us have piled on our losses… me, Carol, Beth, but you just keep on keeping on." I tense up when she said that trying not to think about my all my losses and there were a lot of them.

"You know what, go ahead go in there and tell that little girl, that everything will be ok, just like it is for you. She will get a husband, a son, baby… boyfriend. She just has to look on the Brightside." Andrea taunts, before walking to the door, but stops and looks back to me.

"Do you have anything to say?" She says a smug look in her face and smirking thinking that I won't. "Ya sure, you both are acting like teenage girls on their periods, fighting over the hot guy that fucked you both …shut up." I raise my hand when Andrea opened her mouth to say something.

"You do just sit there all day doing, nothing. it is awfully funning that I can take care of my kids and do my share of chores, while finding some time to take watch, so try and fool someone else with that bullshit and you…" I say looking to Lori.

"Don't know what the hell you do half the time, since I watch my kids and your son while doing everything that I should. We all have lost people." I tell them both, looking back at Andrea, glaring at her.

"You lost your sister, it is sad and horrible, but I have lost my whole family. They were in California, I don't know if any of them are alive, or not and I had to kill my kids mothers so they wouldn't bite me." I look at their stunned faces before walking towards the door.

"Just move the hell on and stop with the petty bitch fits all the time, it is pathetic." I tell them and they were speechless, as I storm pass them and make my way out of the house and to the camp. I take a few deep breaths before opening the tent door and stepping inside lying down next to the sleeping girls.

I look up as the tent door moved slowly, I reach for my gun but sigh and turn over as Daryl walked in. he raised an eyebrow at me. "You ok, you looked pissed a few minutes ago?" he asked as he lay down next to me. I turn and lay my head on his shoulder my arm over his chest.

"Lori and Andrea had some bitch fit, smack down and I told them off a bit. They just made me mad is all." I whisper breathing in his sent, he smelled like the woods. We just laid there our eyes closed.

"Ugh!" I yelped feeling something jump on me, well someone, a giggling someone. I turn and grab her, getting up on my knees and I start ticking her getting, a shriek of laughter out of her, which woke up Gracie. I start tickling them both, Daryl laid on his side watching us, smiling a little. "Mommy stop pwease. Mommy!" Laughing, I just keep ticking her.

"Daddy save me." She yells holding her hands out to Daryl. I stop and sit back, just staring at her as she crawls to him and climbs behind him, peeking over his side grinning at me. I look away and fix Gracie's dress, not being able to look at him. He puts a hand on knee, before throwing it over Haylee and pulling her around laying her flat on the ground and starts ticking her.

She started laughing wriggling around, I smile pulling Gracie to me and lean against Daryl's legs. He finally stopped, so she could catch her breath, she grins up at the both of us, her face all red. He rubs his hand in circles on my back, as we sit there in a comfortable silence.

**Well there it is, oh you guys get to find out what really happened before Emily met the group and how she got her scar, in the next chapter. I'll try and update soon alright.**


	8. Judge, jury and executioner

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead. This is ****judge, jury and executioner ****you guys get to find out how Emily got her stomach scar in this one.**

**Thank you all who read this and special thanks to 0TigerFang0, Cosmogurl748, FanFicGirl10, JCLProductions88, XxBEKKAHxX, walter-needz-luv-2, wildcat717, xmenfan33, Lilly72, NathalieIyper and jomaxrox for reviewing favoring and following my story thank you so much you guys.**

The girls stayed in the tent, playing with some toys, while Daryl and I left. We started walking to his tent, he was walking faster than me, his shoulders were tense, and I could tell something is wrong.

"Do you what to talk about it?" I ask him when we reach his little camp. He sits down on the old fireplace, glaring at the ground. I stand a little in front of him, my mind racing.

"They are mine now…" I started trying to figure out what I need to say. "They're mine, and I know you are having a hard time with this. If it will be easier for you we can stop…" I gasp when he stood up real fast, he grabbed me by my hips and pushed me back and up against the tree that was nearby.

I was breathless as he stared me down. "You're mine, got that." He all but growled and I just nodded not trusting my voice. "Got it?" he asked his voice even deeper, squeezing his hands tighter. "yes." I could only whisper, as I started into his blue eyes.

"I almost lost you once, not gonna do that again. They're yours now I know, now they're mine too." My hands were shaking as I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled me close.

I turn my head and kiss his jaw and kissed my way to his lips, he turn his head his lips catching mine, his fingers in my hair pulling my head back. Moaning, I close my eyes looking up into the tree, the sun peeking through the leaves. He starts his way down my neck and then back, he started pulling me towards his tent.

We were almost there when we heard a car driving up the road, groaning he laid his head on my shoulder. "Damn it." He mumbled. "Don't worry there cowboy, we can have some fun later alright." I tell him giggling a little, as I pull away from him and started my way back to the house. "better." I could hear him grumble as he mopes behind me.

When we got back to camp I stopped walking, I was shocked seeing Rick and Shane dragging Randall, back to the shed both of their faces all bloody, it looks like they fought each other. Daryl was pissed as he stormed passed me and made his way to the Rick.

I slowly made my way back to the others, Carol patted my back as I stood next to her as we watched Daryl, Rick and Shane argue over something. Daryl looked at me before walking into the shed, shutting the door behind him. looking away I made my way over to my tent.

I open the door to see Anna sitting there, her knees pulled up as she hugged them to her chest. Both Haylee and Gracie were oblivious to what was going on, sitting there playing with their toys. I sit next to Anna, adjusting the gun that was at my hip.

"I don't what that guy here, he looks like him." she whimpered into her arms. I whip my cheek from a stray tear that fell. "Oh, Anna, I will do anything for that not to happen again, never again. Do you hear me?" I whisper into her ear I could feel her shaking trying not to cry.

I kiss the top of her head as I pull her close, trying to forget the memories. "How about you try and take a nap. How does that sound?" She nodded whipping her face before she lay down on her side.

"Come on you two." I said to the girls as I picked up Gracie and made my way out of the tent, Haylee close behind. I set Gracie down and she walked in front of me, stumbling after Haylee, who made her way to the blanket that was nearby.

We all just sat around the camp, some standing, as we waited for Daryl to come back. I sat in a chair watching the girls play on the blanket. "So what are you going to do? We all will feel better if we knew the plan." Lori said pouring some water into a cup and handing it to Carl.

"Is there a plan?" Andrea asked standing with the others. "Are we going to keep him here?" Glenn asked he was sitting down a bit in front of me. "We'll know soon enough." I looked up at Rick to see him looking somewhere behind me. I turn around to see Daryl walking up, his hands all bloody. I stand up as he got closer and face him.

"Boy there's got a gang, thirty men. Got heavy artillery and their not looking to make friends. They roll through here, are boys are dead. Are women they gonna… gonna whish they were." He tells us and he looks to me and I gave him a little nod. "What did you do?" I could hear Carol ask from behind me. "Had a chat." He tells her making his way over to me. I could hear her walking away.

"No one goes near this guy." Rick tells us and I look at Daryl's hand when he sees me staring, he drops his hand, kind of hiding it behind his back. "We have no choice. He is a threat. We eliminate that threat." I turn my head and look at Rick after he says that. "You're just going to kill him?" Dale asked him a stunned look on his face. "It's settled, we'll do it tonight." Rick says before walking off Dale close behind.

"Come on." I said pulling Daryl by his arm towards my car, keeping an eye on the girls. I grab a few things out of the first aid bag, setting it on the back bumper. I lift his hand by his wrist and I started clean, seeing that most of the blood wasn't his. His knuckles will scab up a bit but it wasn't as bad as it looked.

"You mad at me?" he asked when I started on him other hand. "Why would I be?" I ask looking up at him confused, stopping what I was doing. "For what I just did." He whispered looking at his hand. "No." he looked back at me. "You are just protecting your own and the group. Why would I be angry at that?" I tell him and I lean in and kiss him, pulling away when he started kissing me back. He glared at me and I just smiled and when back to cleaning his hand.

Jack and I made everyone some lunch, well I made the lunch that boy can burn water if he tried. Anna was still awake but she didn't want to eat, so I just let her rest. Jack and I sat with Haylee and Gracie on the blanket eating our lunch.

After the girls ate they got up and started running around in the grass, well Haylee ran, Gracie's did this hopping, gallop thing chasing after her. I could see Dale walking up to us, Jack looked at him then to the girls and then me, he got up when I nodded. I stood up and brushed my hands off on my jeans.

"I want to talk about that boy, Randall." Dale told me when I stood up in front of him. I shook my head. "It ain't gonna change my mind Dale." I tell him not looking him in the eyes, not being able to. "This is a young man's life. A boy he can't be any older than you are. How can you stand for killing a boy?" He asked I can tell he was getting worried. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I turn towards him and look at him.

"I gonna tell you story, how I really got my scar…" I stop and rub my side feeling the long scar, that in under my shirt. "We had to leave the apartment, kept seeing more and more walkers every day. So Jack and I packed the expedition and we left." Taking a deep breath my hands started shaking.

"We stayed in the car at night, did that for two days. moving farther from home and Atlanta. That morning Jack was building a fire, so that I could cook us something to eat, the girls were still in the car asleep. This guy came out of nowhere, a boy no older than Jack." I stop and rub my face taking a deep breath.

"He told us his family died, he was all alone, and so I invited him to stay with us. What's one more kid?" I tell him looking him straight in the eye.

"It happened so fast, he seemed fine and then all of a sudden he gets up and knocks Jack out, hitting him over the head so hard, Jack was out before he hit the ground. He tackled me to the ground before I could even register what happened." I tell him my voice cracking some, he looked away from me.

"He took my knife Dale, he cut me…" I tell him lifting my shirt, so he could see the scar _he_ left me. It started just above my bellybutton and wrapped all the way around to the middle of my lower back.

"He told me he will kill me, but not just yet, he wanted to have fun first. My screaming woke Anna up. He didn't know about the girls. She climbed out of the car and grabbed a rock that was nearby." I stop trying to control the tears that were welling up.

"He had my pants almost off, I was so drained from fighting him and pain and blood loss. He was having too much fun to even notice Anna. She killed him, before he could do anything." I look at him I could see he was in a bit in shock.

"He couldn't be more than eighteen years old dale, and he did that to me, a boy. I know you want to save Randall and he might be a great guy, but I'm not taking that chance of putting my kids or myself in a situation like that ever again." I tell him shaking my head.

"It's just easier to kill him, then to get comfortable and he runs off and brings his men back here. I have three little girls that look to me for safety. It's better to kill him now, than to go through all the, what if's. I'm sorry Dale, but I want him gone, I'm sorry." I whisper before walking away and over to the girls and Jack trying to smile so I don't upset the girls.

The sun was going down, while we made our way to the house, Jack and the girls will be staying in the upstairs room with Jimmy and Carl. I take the girls upstairs and to the room, siting Gracie down on the ground, before making my way to the others.

I stood next Daryl as we waited for Rick to come in so we can get this over with. I look around the room, no one really looking at each other, none of us really able to. Rick walked into the house with Carl and Lori right behind him and he stood in front of me, facing Shane and the others.

Carl stood beside Daryl and we all stayed quiet and stared at him, he huffed and walked upstairs going to the room with the other kids.

"So how do we do this? Do we just vote?" asked Glenn who was sitting down next to Dale. I could see the pain in his eyes. "Well let's just see where everyone stands, then we can talk through the options." Rick said to all of us but we were all silent.

"The way I see it, there is only one way to move forward." Shane said over by the fire place. "Killing him, right. I mean why even bother to vote, it's clear which way the wind is blowing." Dale said his voice cracking a bit.

"Well if people believe we should spare him, I want to know." Rick tells him. "Well I can tell you it's a small group, maybe just me and Glenn." Dale said to Rick, before looking down at Glenn, who looked up at Dale a sorry look on his face.

"Look I know you are pretty much right about everything, all the time but this…" Glenn told him trying to make him understand. "They got you scared!" Dale yelled pointing around at us.

"He's not one of us and we've lost too many people already." Glenn said looking away from him. "How about you, do you agree with him about this." Dale asked Maggie, who looked away and over at Rick asking, "Couldn't we keep him prisoner."

"Just another mouth to feed." Daryl said leaning against the doorframe next to me. "It will be a lean winter." Hershel said sitting on the couch next to Maggie. "We could ration better." Lori said from the doorway.

"Well he could be an asset, give a chance to prove himself." Dale said he is getting desperate. I folded my arms and looked to the ground, I hate how much this is hurting him.

"Who wants to volunteer for that duty?" Shane asked after Maggie suggested we just chain him. "I will." Dale snapped at Shane. "I don't think any of us should be walking around with this guy." Rick said looking around

"I don't want him near my kids chained or not." I tell them still not looking up from the ground. "Look, say we let him join us, right. Maybe he is helpful, maybe he is nice. We let our guard down and he runs off and brings back his thirty men." Shane told us his voice mocking, but serious.

"So the answer is to kill him, for a crime he may never commit. If we do this we are saying there is no hope. Rule of law is dead. There is no civilization." Dale cried tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"Could you drive him father out, like you planned?" Hershel asked looking at Rick "You barley got back last time. There are walkers, you can break down, and you can get lost." Lori said not taking her eyes off of Rick. "Or get ambushed." Daryl said leaning closer to me.

"If you go through with it. Will he suffer?" Patricia asked standing up next to T-dog. I look away I don't care how, I just want him gone."And what about the body, do we bury him?" T-dog asked while Dale started interrupting him. "Hold on, hold on, you're talking about this like it is already decided."

"You've been talking about all day, going in circles. You just want to go around circles again?" Daryl asked pacing some in front of me. "This is a young man's life. It deserves more than a five minute conversation." Dale yelled out, I clenched my arms tighter, trying not to cry.

"No, Dale is right. we can't leave any stone unturned." Rick said and I tried blocking out them as they started fighting. "Just stop it, stop it. I'm sick of everybody arguing, I didn't ask for this. You can't ask us to decide on something like this. Please, decide both of you, just leave me out of it." Carol told them folding her arm leaning against the wall.

"Not speaking out… or killing him yourself there's no difference." Dale said looking straight at Carol. I look at him a little is shock he said that, but I can he was just getting more frantic. "Alright that is enough, if any one wants the floor before we make a final decision has the chance." Rick snapped and we all just got quite not being able to look at any one, I look at the floor seeing Daryl's shoes next to mine.

We were all quite no one saying anything. "You once said we don't kill the living." Dale pleaded with Rick. "That was before the living tried to kill us." Rick told him turning to him.

"But don't you get it, the people we were, the world we knew is dead. And this new world is ugly… it's harsh. It's survival of the fittest and that's a world I don't want to live in. and I don't believe any of you do I can't. Please, let's just do what's right." I squeeze my arms tighter around myself when I heard him crying. Daryl put a hand on back, pulling against him.

"Isn't there anyone else that will stand with me?" he sobbed, I covered my mouth trying not to cry. "He's right, we should try and find another way." Andrea said changing her mind. "Anybody else" Rick asked but everyone was silent.

"Are you gonna watch too. No you're gonna hide your heads in your tents, trying to forget were slaughtering a human being." I turn my head and into Daryl's chest, he just wrapped around my back.

Dale walked over and put a hand on Daryl's shoulder saying "this group is broken." before walking out of the door, I will have to talk about that with him later. I pull away and made my way to the stairs, I wipe my face before opening the door. "Let's get you guys some dinner, huh." I tell the kids picking up Gracie from the floor. helping Haylee down the stairs by holding her hand. We made our way to the kitchen, were Maggie and Carol helped me make some dinner.

I fed the girls their dinner and then change their clothes before putting them in the car. The sun was gone by the time I climbed out of the car, Anna and Jack were sitting by the fire and I joined them and we waited for the guys to come back. Daryl Rick and Shane took Randall to the barn to kill him.

I stared into the fire for a while now when I heard footsteps getting closer I look up seeing Carl walking up with Rick and Shane right behind him. "We're keeping him in custody for now." Rick said when he reached us. "I'll go tell Dale." Andrea smiled while getting up and going off to find Dale.

"Carl go inside. Now please" Lori said looking only at Rick and when Carl walked inside the tent, Rick took a deep breath. "He followed us, he wanted to watch… I couldn't." he whispered Lori grabbed his face. I was shocked when he said that. "That's ok, that's ok." Lori whispered back, stunned just like we were. Anna got up and walked into the tent sitting next to Carl and I watched them talking for a bit while Rick and Lori sat down.

Jumping up when I heard someone screaming, Anna ran right to me and I dragged her to the car. "stay with them." I tell Jack while grabbing my flashlight. I took off running with the others, making my way to the field. "Help! Over here!" I hear Daryl screaming, I run a little faster seeing Dale lying on the ground.

I scream dropping my flashlight as I run over to him, falling to the ground by his side seeing the open wound that used to be his stomach. I couldn't stop crying as I reach and grab his hand squeezing it tight.

"Ok hold, on now. Get Hershel!" I hear Rick yelling I couldn't look away from Dales face, he was in so much pain. "Hershel! We need Hershel!" Rick kept yelling. "Can we move him?" Rick asked when Hershel got there. I could see the look on Hershel's face, he couldn't be saved. Sobbing, I drop my head, clutching on to his hand.

"He won't make the trip." Hershel tells him. "You have to do the operation here. Glenn get back to the house…" Rick said kneeling on the other side of Dale. "Rick!" Hershel got his attention, then shook his head, "No!" Rick screamed finally realizing Dale wasn't going to make it.

"He's suffering…do something." I could hear Andrea pleading. I look up at Rick who held his gun at Dale but he couldn't pull the trigger. I look over at Daryl "please." I whimpered, he looked at me and walked over to Rick grabbing the gun from his hand.

He looked me in the eyes before kneeling, pointing the gun at Dale. I try to catch my breath as Dale lifts his head up, bringing it to the gun. I close my eyes when I hear Daryl whisper. "Sorry brother." Gasping when the gun goes off, then hearing nothing but silence.

**I cried like a baby when I saw this episode. Well there only two chapters left of this story hope you guys have like it. Tell me what you think alright.**


	9. better angels

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead. Well here is ****better angels**** and ****beside the dying fire**** is next and last of this story. Hope you guys have enjoyed it half as much as I have writing it.**

"Dale could get under your skin." Rick started talking, while we all stood around Dale's grave, we buried him next to Sophia. "He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say what was on his mind, how he felt." I pulled Anna closer to me, the girls were still asleep in the car. The sun just barley came up, none of us have been to sleep yet, we just couldn't.

"That kind of honesty is rare, and brave. Whenever I made a decision, I'd look at Dale. He would look back at me with that look he had." Memories of the last few months passing by so quickly, making me feel faint. "We all have seen it one time or another. I couldn't always read him but he could read us. He saw people for who they were." I couldn't cry any more, the tears all dried up.

"He knew things about us, the truth, who we really are. In the end he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group is broken." I looked around at everyone, most just as stunned and shocked and drained as me.

"The best way to honor him is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together. Stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety, and our future." I look down at Anna, her face hidden behind her hair, her shoulders shaking from her sobbing, Jack stood still next to just looking at the four graves.

"We're not broken. We're gonna prove him wrong. From now on were gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale." Rick finished talking and stood up, we all just stood there for a bit, before any of us moved away and back to camp.

I started packing up my tent, we will be moving into the house, stay in there from now on. I packed everything up in the bags and set them outside the tent. I looked around the camp seeing everyone packing as well, I turned back around and started taking down the tent.

Once all that was done I walked over to the car and opened the door, seeing that both of them were waking up. I climbed up and sat down in the car, shutting the door behind me.

I told the girls about Dale, Gracie was still too young to understand, Haylee did though. I held them both and rocked them singing to them. After Haylee stopped crying, I opened the door and climbed out, helping Haylee down and grabbing Gracie holding her on my hip, and made my way to the others holding Haylee's hand.

I fed the girls some breakfast, before I started helping the others pack up. Anna, Carl and the girls sat on the blanket just sitting there, as Jack and I packed up our stuff into the car. Once we were done putting our stuff away Jack and I started helping the others pack their stuff and moving it to the truck or RV.

I made my way to Daryl's camp, to see him throwing the walker ears into the fire and watching them burn. I walked into his tent and started packing his clothes up, rolling my eyes, I can't tell which ones are clean or not. I brought out the bags and set them outside. He walked up to me and stood there for a moment.

"I'm going with Rick, later today, to set Randall loose somewhere." he told me, I shake my head and stare at him. "What?" I ask him. "I'm leaving, I'm going with…" all I could hear was _I'm leaving,_ it got so hard to breath and before I realized it I slapped him.

He looked so stunned, not looking at me "I… umm…" gasping for breath I stared at him before turning and running away. I stopped before reaching the others covering my face, trying to get my breathing under control. how could I do that, why did I do that.

"It's gonna be tight, nineteen people living in one house." Rick said to Hershel as we stood by the truck, I was barley listening. "Don't worry about that, with the swamp hardening and the creek drying up…" "The fifty head of cattle on the property, we might as well be ringing the damn dinner bell." Maggie interrupted Hershel, looking around at us.

"She's right. We should've moved you in a while ago." Hershel told us, I looked over at Daryl who was staring at me, I looked to the ground my bottom lip quivering. "Alright let's move the vehicles near each door, facing towards the road" Rick started saying and I walked off, to make sure everything was in the car.

I could see his reflection walking towards me. He grabbed my hips turning me around. "Don't be mad at me. I want him gone, away from you away from the girls I don't …" I cover his mouth shaking my head.

"I'm not mad and I'm so sorry about earlier. With everything happening with… with Dale and then you saying you were leaving. That's all I heard you say. I'm sorry I slapped you, I didn't mean…" I tell him rubbing his cheek.

"I don't … I can't lose you." I said trying not to cry, he kissed me before leaning his forehead on mine. "Can't get rid of me that easy." He said smirking, before kissing me hard on the lips, licking my bottom lip, taking my breath away. He stops suddenly and walks away, I glared at his back, kissing me like that and just walking off.

"Jerk." I whisper to myself, smiling as I set a go bag on the floor of the backseat, before closing the door. I made my way to the front, climbing behind the wheel. I start the car and I made my way to the house, backing up near the front porch.

I walked in the house to see the girls sitting in the living room, Anna looked up at me and smiled. I set down the girls' toy bag down by them, kissing them on their heads before I made my way back outside. I walked over to the shed where Daryl was.

He was boarding up the shed, I pass him another board when he ran out. He looked down at me as I passed him another board. I stood their staring at him as he worked. When he was done he climbed down and threw an arm over my shoulder and we made our way back to the.

Jack and I started boarding up the back windows, taking our time, wanting it to near perfect. I was on my second window when we ran out of nails, Jack ran off to get some more. Hershel walked up to me and stood and watched as I hammered in the last few nails that I had.

When I was done, I turned and stared at him. "You and your girls can take Shawn's room. It's small but it has a bed." I stared at him speechless, all I could say was a simple thank you, not really able to say much else. He gave me a small smile, before walking back towards the front.

After Jack and I were finished with the back windows, we took a break. He went inside while I walked around the side of the house seeing Rick and Daryl leaning over a map. I walked up and leaned against the railing next to Daryl.

"We'll take him out to Senoia… hour there hour back, give or take. We may lose the light, but we'll be half way home by then." Rick says looking at the map and then over to Daryl then to me. "This little pain in the ass will be a distant memory. Good riddance." Daryl said sitting down on the rail in front of me.

"Carol's putting together some provisions for him, enough to last a few days." Rick tells us, as I lean against Daryl, I could feel him relaxing a bit. "I'll pack you guys some stuff too, some food, water and some gas, just in case." I tell them, Rick nods his head looking back at the map.

I kiss the side of his neck before walking into the house, grabbing an empty backpack and went to the kitchen and started packing them some stuff. I set the bag by the front door before and made my way to the living room.

I walk in to see Gracie yawning, I smile at them I pick her up, and she leans her head on my shoulder, rubbing her face against me. "Come on, let's go to our room." I tell them Anna looked up at me confused. "Hershel is letting us stay in Shawn's room. When you see him, tell him thank you ok." I said looking at them both.

The nodded their heads and got up following behind me. We walk up the stairs passing Maggie, who told us it was the room at the end of the hall. After thanking her we went to the room, opening the door, I was a little surprised at how clean it was.

I laid Gracie down on the bed and she went right out. Haylee smiled up and me I picked her up and helped her up on the bed, she crawled over to the pillows and started sucking her thumb, falling right to sleep.

I left the door open as Anna and I left. "Keep an ear out for them ok." "Don't worry." Anna joked looking down at me from the stairs. I stop at the bottom step looking back at her smiling. "All I can do is worry hun." I tell her before walking outside seeing both Beth and Jimmy starting to board up the windows.

Grabbing my gloves from my back pocket, I put them on before making my way to the side of the house. Jack handed out a hammer, and I grab it from him before I started boarding up another window.

I could see Daryl and T-dog packing up the truck, so Rick and Daryl could leave. I looked away taking a deep breath, trying not to think about all the possibilities of things going wrong. I went back to nailing the board to the wall, taking my mind off of it.

I stop what I was doing when I heard T-dog yelling, I look over at Jack and we set down our hammers and made our way over to the shed with the others.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asked as she ran up beside me. "Randall's missing." Glenn tells us, I look over at Daryl who looked pissed as I walk over to him. "Missing? How?" I could hear Maggie ask behind me. "How long has he been gone?" Hershel asked, as Daryl pulled me to his side, wrapping an arm around my back.

"It's hard to say. The cuffs are still hooked, he must have slipped 'em." Rick said coming out of the shed. "Is that possible?" Carol asked him, as she looked into the shed at Andrea. "It is, if you have nothing to lose." Andrea said walking out of the door.

"The door was secured from the outside." Hershel said closing the door. "Then how the hell did he get out?" I ask them they looked just as confused as the rest of us. I turn and look at Daryl, who was looking right back at me. He leaned his head against mine and I wrap both my arms around his waist.

"RICK! RICK!" we all turn hearing Shane shouting, he came out of the bushes his face all bloody. "What happened?" Lori yelled to him. He came storming up to us, yelling, "He's armed! He's got my gun!" we all looked at him in shock, Daryl pulled me closer to him. "Are you ok?" Carl asked him, as he got closer.

"I'm fine. The little bastard just snuck up on me. He clocked me in the face." Shane said when he reached us. "Alright Hershel, T-dog, get everyone back in the house. Glenn, Daryl come with us." Rick demanded, I hesitantly let Daryl go and watched as he loaded up his crossbow.

"T I'm gonna need that gun." Shane said pointing at T-dog. "Just let him go. That was the plan wasn't it, to let him go?" Carol asked them as they started to walk away.

"The plan was to let him loose far away from here. Not in our front step with a gun." Rick said turning around and looking at all of us, I grab Jack's wrist staring at them. "Get everyone back to the house. Lock all the doors and stay put!" Rick yelled before walking off.

Jack wrapped an arm around me and started pulling me back to the house, I walked backwards staring at Daryl, who looked back at me once, before walking through the trees and disappearing. I turned and walked back to the house, Jack helping me the whole way.

We all made sure the doors were locked, Jack stayed down stairs making his bed, he wants to stay down stairs wanting to get away from staying in a room with all girls. I went upstairs to see that the girls were awake.

I picked Gracie up and put her on my hip and helped Haylee down from the bed, Anna followed me to the stairs. I pass Hershel's room, where Rick, Lori and Carl will be staying. I stopped at the door, Haylee and Anna made their way down the stairs.

"Why don't you come down stairs with me, it will be better than to stay in this room alone." I ask him, he just looked up from the binoculars that he was holding and looks at me. "No I'd rather stay here, ok." he said moving over to the window looking outside. I look outside to see it was dark now, closing my eyes trying not to think about it.

I readjusted Gracie, who was playing with my hair, I'll have to cut it again soon. I Look at Carl one more time, before I made my way down stairs. Passing everyone in the living room, I made my way to the kitchen, to make the girls some food. I fed Gracie and Haylee some diner, Anna picking at some of their food, as we sat at the table waiting for the guys to get back.

I pull Gracie tighter towards me, when I heard the gun shot. Everyone got real quite not moving. I looked around at everyone, Haylee start whimpering, so I pull her close, shushing her and Gracie.

I jerk back, when another gunshot goes off. The guys run up to the windows, looking through the cracks, trying to see if they could see anything. Lori started pacing, covering her mouth. Shushing the girls, while I rocked them, praying nothing is wrong that they were fine, oh please be ok.

**Very important please read!**

**I will be writing a small story in between this one and the beginning of season three, telling the six months they don't show. **

**Since I love you guys so much for reading my story, I want to let you guys decide something, ok.**

**Should Emily be pregnant****? It will make her six months along in the third season, so tell me yes or no. The most answers will decide if she is or not ok. I'll even let you guys decide if it's a boy or girl ok.**

**You guys need to tell me soon too, before I start writing the next part ok. Just a simple yes or no will do fine alright. **


	10. beside the dying fire

**Disclaimer: don't own walking dead **

**This is the last and longest chapter of like a moth to a flame. Hope you guys have enjoyed it and thank you all for reading, well here you all go. **

**I will be writing an in between story about the groups six months before season three. it should be out within the next few weeks so stay tuned all right. **

I was sitting on the couch bouncing Gracie on my knees, Haylee was curled up into my side with Anna next to her. We all were sitting in the living room, waiting for the guys to get back. "I'm going after them." Andrea said next to me before getting up from the couch.

"Don't they can be anywhere. And if Randall comes back were going to need you." Lori tells her, I see Anna flinching at that, so I reach over and brush her hair back, she looked at me and relaxes a little.

I looked up hearing the door opening, Jack came in first followed by Daryl and Glenn. Sighing I got up and walk over to him. Haylee runs passed me, Daryl bends down and picks her up before looking around. "Rick and Shane ain't back?" he asks when I reach his side, he leans down and kisses Gracie on her head while looking me in the eyes, I shake my head.

"No." Lori tells him, she is a nervous wreck right now. "We heard a gunshot." Glenn said looking around at us. "Maybe they found Randall." Lori said come up and standing near us. "We found him." Daryl says looking straight at me, I could tell something was wrong.

"Is he back in the shed?" Maggie asks him, he looked away from me, ya something is wrong. "He's a walker." Daryl told us, I pulled Gracie tighter against me and stand closer to his side. "Did you find the walker that bit him?" Hershel asked them, as Anna got up from the couch and made her way to us.

"No the weird thing is he wasn't bit." Glenn told us looking at Maggie. "His neck was broke." Daryl said as I pull Anna to my side, she wraps her arms around my waist looking at everyone.

"So he fought back." Patricia said standing over by Hershel and Beth. "The thing is Shane and Randall's tracks were right on top of each other. And Shane ain't no tracker, so he didn't come up right behind him, they were together." Daryl told us readjusting Haylee, who had a death grip on him.

Lori walks in front of us, breathing in deep. "Would you please go back out there and find Rick and Shane? And find out what on earth is going on?" Lori asks him and he looked over at me and I nodded to him. "You got it." He said looking back to Lori. "Thank you." Lori said before walking off, Jack came up and tried to grab Haylee but she just tighten her grip and buried her face into his neck.

"Hey it will be all right. I'll be right back, got to be a big girl for me ok." Daryl whispered to her, she looks up at him, her bottom lip pouting, but she nodded anyway and went to Jack. Daryl looked at me and kissed me. "I will be right back." he whispers to me "you better." I whisper back, he smirked before walking off with Glenn and Andrea right behind him.

I lay Gracie down on the couch next to Haylee, she fell asleep a minute ago. I turned around when I hear the door opening again. Daryl comes storming in the room. "Go pack your stuff now!" he snaps walking over to me. "Why what's wrong?" I ask him as I walk towards him.

"There's a herd of walkers, we need to leave." When he said this, everyone started to panic. I stay inside with the girl as the others go outside. "Pack now." He demanded before he left the house. I turn around to see Haylee and Anna were both terrified, my mind was racing.

"Ok Jack, stay here with the girls, Anna come with me." I tell them, Jack stood there trying to comfort Haylee. Anna got off the couch and we raced up the stairs and to our room, are bags were all packed and we didn't bring much in, so we grabbed the two bags and I was about to leave the room when I stop and walk over to the window looking outside.

To my horror, I saw all the walkers that were coming out of the trees. I look away and walk towards the door, pushing Anna out of the room. We were almost to the stairs, when Lori comes out of her room looking frantic. "Carl's not here." She said before running down stairs.

I leave Anna and I go into the room and looked under the bed and in the closet to see nothing. I was about to shut the closet door, when I saw two stacked up family albums, on a shelf. I hurry and grab them and quickly shove them in to my bag, zipping it closed.

I then throw it over my shoulder and leave the room, grabbing Anna's hand and we run down the stairs. Jack takes the bag off my shoulder and I pick up Gracie wrapping her blanket around her. She woke up and was now crying. Jack picks up Haylee who started crying but wrapped her arms around him anyway while Anna was just standing there terrified.

Lori and Carol came running in and started running around the house, looking for Carl. We just stood there with Beth and Patricia not sure what to do. "We need to leave Emily. We need to leave now!" Jack yells and it snaps me out of the mild shock that I was in. "ok, ok you stay right on my ass. You get in the back seat with the girls all right." I tell him and he nods his head.

Carol then comes back into the house. "Emily, Patricia, we need to leave now." She yells to us and we run to the door. I was at the door when I look down and see the bag that I packed earlier.

I pick it up and throw it over my shoulder before following Beth outside. Anna was right behind me and Jack and Haylee behind her, she was clinging to the back of my shirt sobbing. I unclip my gun and take the safety off and we make our way down the front steps.

Lori, Carol, Patricia and Beth go around to the side of the house to get to the other cars. We had no problems making it to the car. I open the back door and Anna hurries and climbs in taking a screaming Gracie from me and I move back so Jack can climb in.

I shut the door after he sits down with Haylee. I see Hershel shooting walkers with a shot gun a little a ways from me. "Hershel! Hershel come on!" I scream at him, moving towards the front of my car.

"No just go! Just get out of here!" he yells back at me still shooting. I look away and head to the driver side shooting two walkers that were close by.

I quickly open the door and throw the bag into the passenger seat before climbing in and shutting the door behind me. I set my gun down in the cup holder and reach for the keys. "Shit!" my hands are so shaky that I drop the keys, I bend down and start searching for them, were the hell did they go.

"EMILY!" Jack yells and I look up and to see that walkers were starting to surround the car, I feel the keys and sit up and quickly start the car, throwing it in drive and taking off. "Put you seatbelts on!" I yell to them as I swerve out of the way of severely walkers trying not to hit any, I don't want to damage the car.

I was almost off the farm when I see headlights coming up behind me. "Who is it?" I asked swerving away from another walker. "I think its Rick." Anna tells me holding on to Haylee, after Jack takes Gracie from her. I just nod my head trying not to cry, the girls were still crying but Jack was starting to calm them down, just barely.

The sun was just coming up when I start to slow down, Rick pulls up next to me and I roll down my window. I sigh and take a deep breath when I see Carl seating in the front seat and Hershel in the back. "You guys ok?" Rick asks and I could only nod, afraid if I start talking I'll start crying.

"We are going to the highway, just follow me alright." He tells me, I just look at him and nod and roll up my window again. He takes off and I follow him. My hands started to hurt from how hard I was griping the steering wheel.

The girls were fast asleep by the time we reached the highway, we took the back roads all the way there. I look in the review mirror at them, Jack was awake and staring outside the window and Anna was fighting to stay awake. I look back to the road and I start to slow down, weaving in and out of all the abandoned cars that lined the highway.

I pull up and stop right behind him and turn off the car. "How about you guys stay in here ok." I said looking back at them, Anna just nods, wiping a few stay tears from her cheeks, Jack just stares out the window, while holding a sleeping Gracie.

I grab my gun before opening the door and climb out and make my way over to the guys. "Wait, where's mom?" I holster my gun as I walk up to them hearing Carl. "You said she be here. we got to go back for her." Carl said and I had to look away from him.

"Carl…" Rick whispers bending down to him. "No why are we running? What are you doing? It is mom." He starts yelling. "Please… its mom." he whispered to Rick, who looked like he was barely holding it together. "Look Carl, listen…" he tried to say but Carl pushes away from him.

"No." he said before walking away, I hold up my hand to Rick who was about to follow him. I turn and walk around Hershel's truck and went to Carl, who was just looking at the ground.

I take a deep breath before I start talking. "I'm not gonna promise you that she is fine." He looked up at me confused and sad. "Can't keep treating you guys like kids forever…" I tell him crouching down, so that we were more eye to eye. I look him strait in his eyes, I pull his face back when he tried to look away.

"I can promise you, that your mom will do everything she possible can to get back to you and your dad, all right." I tell him. "all right?" "Ya, your right." He whispers before looking away and wiping his eyes.

I stand up when Rick walks over, he nods a thank you, and I just give him a small smile, as Carl walks away from us but still in eye sight. "What do we do?" I ask him crossing my arms, it was starting to get cold.

"We are going to wait for a while. After that I … I honestly haven't thought that far." He tells me, and I look back at my car seeing Jack looking at us, I give him a small smile which he returns.

Carl quickly runs up to us, pointing to a walker that was coming over. I point down to Jack, who ducks his head as Rick pulls me around the front of the truck. We hide behind it as the walker starts to pass. I have a hand on Carl's shoulder and Hershel was touching mine, as we waited for the lone walker to pass by.

"Ok, come, come, come." Rick whispers and we move more towards the back. We all look through the back and through the windshield to watch the walker, well walk away.

"I don't know how much longer we can stay here." Hershel whispers as Rick turns around to us, while I kept an eye on the walker. "I'm not leaving without mom" Carl whispers and I pull him back closer to me.

"So were just gonna walk away, not knowing if my wife, your girls are still out there? How do we live with that?" Rick asks Hershel and I look down closing my eyes thinking about Daryl. I squeeze my eyes tighter, trying not to cry, taking a shaky breath. I open them and look back at Hershel.

"You've only got on concern now … just one. Keeping him alive. Nature maybe throwing us a curve ball but that is still true." I look away from him and to my car seeing both Anna and Jack were looking through the back seats at us.

"Carl… it's not safe here. I'm sorry." Rick whispers crouching down to Carl who started sobbing. "We'll…" he stops and looks behind him, I look up hearing a motorcycle approaching. I push away from the truck and Rick grabs my side, steading me as Daryl and Carol, came riding up.

I cover my mouth and start crying when I see him, he looked just at relived as I felt at that moment. I start crying more when I see Glenn and T-dog driving up behind him.

I run around the truck to the front and throw my arms around him before he even could turn the bike off. I cry into his shoulder and grab Carol's hand as he turns off the bike, just as the others pull up. I let go so they could get off, but once he climbs off he pulls me to him and hugs me so tight and I cling to the back of his vest.

I could hear the others crying and laughing hugging there family, I try to get my crying under control. "Are the kids ok?" he whispers and I look up at him and nod smiling, not trusting myself to talk just yet. He smiles at me and wipes the tears off my cheeks, before kissing me like he has never kissed me before. He pulls away and leans his forehead to mine and we just hold onto each other.

I could hear doors opening and closing and hurried footsteps running over to us. Anna and Jack came around the truck and run to us, Daryl and I open are arms as Anna comes crying throwing her arms around us both, Jack close behind. "They're still asleep." Jack whispers to us, Daryl puts a hand on the back of Jacks head and pulls us closer to him.

After a moment we pulled away and Jack stands next to me on one side and Daryl on the other, as I hold Anna to me. "Where'd you find everyone?" Rick asks them looking around. "Well this guys' tail lights zigzagging all over the road, figured he had to be Asian, driving like that." Daryl joked looking to Glenn with his arm still around me. "Good one." Glenn chuckled shaking his head.

"Where is everyone else?" Carol asks looking around, I look to see some missing faces. "Were the only one that made it so far." Rick says looking down to Lori and Carl who were hugging, kneeling on the ground. "Shane?" Lori asks standing up, still holding onto Carl. Rick looks at her and just shakes his head.

"Andrea?" Glenn asks and I look around seeing her not there, I looked down at Anna, who had her eyes closed while leaning her head against me. "She saved me then I lost her." Carol told us standing on the other side of Daryl, I start running my finger through Anna's hair feeling her relax a little.

"We saw her go down." T-dog tells us hanging off of the blue trucks door. "Patricia?" Hershel asks holding on to Beth and Maggie. Beth pulls away and looks up at him. "They got her, too. Took her right from me, I was… I was holding onto her daddy she just…" Beth tells him before sobbing again, she then looks around at all of us.

"What about Jimmy? Did you see Jimmy?" she asks lifting her head up. "He was in the RV, it got overrun." Rick tells her and she starts crying again, are group is just getting smaller and smaller.

"You definitely saw Andrea?" Carol asks, Jack leans back and cross his arms, I can see that he was trying very hard not to cry. "There were walkers everywhere." Lori said looking around, she probably not really sure what she saw, I don't think any of us were.

"Did you see her? Carol asks again and Daryl starts to pull away from me. "I'm gonna go back." he said and I grab his arm and he looks back at me. "No." I tell him holding his arm tighter. "No" Rick tells him to moving a bit closer to us. "We can't just leave her." Daryl said moving back closer to me, so I let go of him slightly, still afraid he will pull away and leave.

"We don't even know if she is there." Lori said pulling Carl closer to her. "She isn't there. She isn't. She somewhere else or she's dead, there's no way to find her." Rick said turning around looking at everyone.

"So we're not even gonna look for her?" Glenn asks looking a bit confused, I had to look away. I know I was being selfish not wanting to go look for her and I pray that she is ok but I can't lose him, I just can't go through that again.

"We've got to keep moving, there have been walkers crawling all over here." Rick tells everyone when he spots the walker that we hid from earlier. "I say head east." T-dog said looking around at us.

Daryl pulls away from me and walks to his bike grabbing his crossbow. "Stay off the main roads. The bigger the road the more walkers, more assholes like this one. I got him." he said pulling the trigger, hitting the walker right in the eye.

"Ok we need to get moving, try and find some where to stay the night." Rick tells us moving around, probably trying to think of a place. "We should siphon the rest of the gas in this truck, it won't be running for much longer, with it being all banged up." T-dog says shutting the door, Rick just nods his head. "We should scavenge up some supplies, real quick too." I tell them looking around at all the cars.

"All right get to it and do it quickly so we can get on the road." We all scatter and went to work after Rick said that. Carol and I packed up the supplies that we had left for Sophia, before going around and searching the cars real quick.

Jack and Anna start helping Lori and Carl go through some cars nearby, as I walked to my car with a full bag of food and drinks, and a few blankets. I open the trunk and put the stuff away. I pull out the girls' car seats and carry them to the side after shutting the truck.

I turn to see Daryl walking up with a pink bag pack completely stuffed. I set the car seats down when he reached me. "Found some stuff for the girls, looked like it would fit them." He said nodding his head to the car.

I smile at him and turn and open the back door, seeing Haylee was awake and sitting there, she starts crying when she sees him, he drops the bags and walks up to us picking her up and starts rubbing her back as she cries into his shoulder.

I start sobbing looking at them and he pulls me to him letting me cry again. I pull away and rubbing my face trying to get myself to stop crying, I pick up Haylee's car seat and start strapping it in. when I was done I pick up the bag he brought me and set it on the floor so that it will be under Haylee's feet.

I shut the door and pick up Gracie's car seat and made my way to the other side Daryl following, Haylee has stopped crying and was back to sleep. I slowly open the door and pick up Gracie, who was still a sleep.

I set her down on the driver seat and Daryl stands there so she won't fall. I quickly strap the car seat in as Jack and Anna came back to the car each carrying a box of stuff that we will go through later. I open the trunk for them and help Anna put the box away that she was carrying.

"Look I found you a sweatshirt." She said lifting it up to show me, to was a thick black sweatshirt. I laugh and I take it from her seeing that it was actually clean so I put it on and we laugh at how huge it was on me. I roll my eyes and shut the trunk I could see every starting to pack up and get in the cars.

Jack takes Haylee from Daryl, and he takes her around the front so he could put her in her car seat. I sit in the back as Daryl picks up Gracie, trying not to wake her we maneuver her around and I set her down and start strapping her in. He leans his head on my shoulder gripping my leg, tightly.

I finish strapping her in and turn towards him he grabs the back of my head and kisses me almost desperately. He pulls away rubbing his eyes and takes a deep breath before making his way to his bike.

I look back to see Jack giving me a small smile, before clicking the last strap and Haylee's car seat and shutting the door. I climb out and help Anna in before getting in and sitting behind the wheel.

I move the bag into the back seat so Jack can sit down. I wait until Rick starts his truck before I start mine, I slowly start following him, and we left, hopefully we can find a place that is safe for the night.

We have been driving, down all the back roads for a while now, I don't know if we are even In Georgia anymore. I see Rick starting to slow down, so I do too. He honks his horn once, before pulling over to the side of the road, not sure why we still do that I mean there aren't that many cars going to be going by any more, but I pull over any way.

I look down to see that I was almost on empty, damn it. Jack and I leave the car, the girls were all asleep now, they were so drained from what has happened. Jack and I start jogging to catch up to the others.

"You out?" Daryl asked Rick when we all started coming together. "Running on fumes." Rick answers him. "I'm almost out too." I said standing next to Jack, who was standing next to Hershel. "We can't stay here." Maggie said looking around. "We can't all fit in two cars." I look at the car Glenn was driving and mine after he said that, it would be a very tight fit.

"We'll have to make a run for some gas in the morning." Rick tells us looking around everywhere. "Spend the night, here?" asked Carol who pulled her jacket tighter around her. "I'm freezing." When Carl said that, I walk to the truck of Glenn's car and open the trunk and pull out a jacket. Shutting the truck I walk over and hand it to Lori and she helps Carl into the jacket, it was getting even colder now that it was almost dark.

"You go out looking for firewood, stay close only got so many arrows, how you doing on ammo?" Daryl asked Rick while taking out his crossbow. "Not enough." Rick replies shaking his head.

"We can't just sit here with our asses hanging out." Maggie said looking at him. "Watch your mouth. Everyone stop panicking and listen to rick." Hershel tells her and then us. I shake my head and look behind me and into the trees praying I don't see anything.

"All right well set up a perimeter, and in the morning we'll find some gas and more supplies. We keep pushing on." Rick tells us moving towards the side of the road.

"Glenn and I can go make a run now, try to find some gas." Maggie said but then starts to whisper. "No we stay together, god forbids something happens and people get stranded with only one car." Rick tells her, ya that would be an even tighter fit trying to fit everyone in my SUV.

"Rick, were stranded now." When Glenn says that, I look around everywhere seeing that we were. I could feel myself starting to cry and I look around catching Daryl's eyes, sighing I try to get myself under control.

"…But at least we found each other." I look around at everyone my eyes all ways returning to Daryl. "I wasn't… not really… we found each other, we keep it that way." Rick tells us, I hear crying behind me, so I turn and walk back to my car and open the door, to see that Gracie was awake.

I get her out without waking either Anna or Haylee. I shut the door quietly and made my way back to the others. Unzipping the jacket and zipping it closed around Gracie, so she wouldn't be cold.

"Even if we do find a place and we think it's safe, but for how long, look what happened at the farm." Maggie tells them when I reach them again. "We won't make that mistake again." Hershel said from next to me. "We'll make camp over there, get back on the road when the sun comes up." Rick tells us looking over at some rock bridge.

"Does this feel right to you?" Carol asked Daryl, as she walks up to him. "What if walkers come through or another group like Randall's?" Beth asks Rick walking up to him.

"You know I found Randall? He turned but wasn't bit." Daryl tells Rick looking straight at him, ignoring what both Carol and Beth asked. "Rick, what the hell happened?" Lori asks him holding Carl to her, he still looked freezing, and I rub Gracie trying to warm her up.

"Shane killed Randall, just like he always wanted to." Daryl said as I made my way over to him, he puts an arm around my shoulder, pulling Gracie and me close to him.

"And then the herd got him?" Lori asked Rick, unsure of what really happened. Rick looked around like he was stalling trying to find something to say.

"We're all infected." I look at him trying to process what he just said, Daryl pulls me closer to him. "What?" he asks and I turn my head into his arm.

"At the CDC Jenner told me, whatever it is, we all carry it?" Rick all but whispers. "And you never said anything?" Carol asks him, I look around to see the hopelessness and anger on all their faces. "Would it have made any difference?" Rick asks back. I lean my head down and kiss Gracie's head, I was angry but I understood why he didn't say anything.

"Well I thought it best people didn't know." Rick snaps at us before walking off, after Glenn talked about him telling us about the barn. Lori hands Carl over to Hershel before following after him. Daryl pulled away from me to load his crossbow, and he, Jack and T-dog went to find a place for us to stay the night. I stood there with the others waiting until they got back.

T-dog game back telling us they found a spot, everyone started moving around, Maggie and Beth came with me to get the girls. Beth helps me unzip my jacket and takes Gracie from me and I thank her and open the back door. "Wake up Anna, honey wake up." I say gently shaking her awake.

When she does I help her down from her seat, she leans against the car yawning. I pull out some blankets from the back handing them to Maggie and Anna before I shut the door. Maggie stayed there with Anna and Beth, as I walk to the other side.

I open the door and unstrap Haylee who was still fast asleep, I see the bag that I had packed for Daryl and Rick, so I grab it and put it on before picking up Haylee, who started to wake up as I moved her. I shut the door and walk over to Maggie, Anna and Beth and we start making our way over to the others.

We all settled down in a small area, almost completely surrounded by stone walls. Glenn takes a blanket from Maggie and spreads it out for us, Beth sits down holding onto Gracie, and Anna sits down next to her, pulling her legs up to her chest.

I set down Haylee, who stands there holding onto my pants, as I take off the heavy backpack and set it down. I sit down next to Anna on the blanket, grabbing another blanket and help put it around both her and Beth, Haylee climbs in between me and Anna, snuggling into my side. I take Gracie from Beth as Hershel sits down next to her.

I look over to see Jack carrying a few more blankets and hands them to Maggie and Glenn and another to Lori and Carl. Daryl and T-dog came into the camp carrying arm full of wood and they set them down in a pile. Daryl starts clearing an area in the middle of are spread out circle.

I open the blanket that was around Haylee, Gracie and me to pull the backpack closer. I open the side pocket and grab a small box of matches, holding them out to Daryl. He looked to me and smirked, grabbing them and got started on the fire.

I look around to see both T-dog and Rick standing up on the wall, standing on watch. I sigh when I start to feel the heat from the fire, I smile at Daryl who sits down next to me, Carol then sits down next to him, all of us getting as close as we could to the fire.

There wasn't much water or food in the bag for everyone so we just fed the kids, taking just a strip of jerky for the rest of us. When we all got warmed up, Lori and I started clearing a space by the wall but close to the fire, for the kids to sleep.

We laid down two of the blankets, first before moving Haylee and Gracie over to it, we also made sure there's room for Anna and Carl as well. I cover the girls up and they fell right to sleep, all warm and feeling safe. I sit down next to them, leaning against the wall, staring at everyone, Jack was taking watch right now and Anna was sitting next to Beth still, staring into the fire.

It started to get dark very quickly after we all settled down, Anna came over to me, sitting next to me, laying her head down on my lap. Jack traded watch with T-dog and he came and sat down near Anna and I. Daryl went to go find some more firewood, now that we were running low. He smirked at me when he caught me looking at him before he left.

Lori gets up and walks off behind the wall, having to go to the bath room, so Carl comes over and sits down In front of the girls, on the blanket so he could be closer to the fire. Lori comes back and sits down next to him pulling him closer to her.

Daryl then comes back with a lot more firewood and throws some more onto the fire, while kneeling down next to Carol. I look at them confused, as she starts whispering to him, trying not to get the wrong idea.

I start running my finger trough Anna's hair, trying to get her to relax. I stop when I hear leaves moving and twigs snapping. Anna sits up and all of us start looking around, I put my hand over the girls touching them lightly, trying to reassure myself that they were there and they were fine.

"What is that?" I could hear Beth asking. "Could be anything." Daryl replies standing up taking his crossbow off his back. "Could be a raccoon, could be a possum." He said moving closer to me and the kids. "Or a walker." Glenn said standing up, with Maggie and Hershel.

"We need to leave, what are we waiting for?" Carol asks also standing up. I look to the girls, who were sleeping peacefully unaware of what was going on. I pull Anna closer to my side, Jack getting closer to her.

"The last thing we need is for everyone to be running around in the dark." Rick said waking into the camp. "We don't have the vehicles and no one traveling on foot." I look over at him when he says that.

"Don't panic." Hershel tells Maggie when she starts looking around, holding tightly to her shot gun. "I'm not… I'm not staying here, waiting for another herd to come through. We need to move now." She said looking around to all of us.

"No one is going anywhere." Rick tells her, I get a little scared by the way that he is acting. "Do something." Carol tells him. "I am doing something!" He snaps at her. "I keeping this group together, alive!" he says waving his gun around and Daryl moves a little so he was in front of us.

"I didn't ask for this. I killed my best friend for you people for Christ's sake." He whispers furiously, I look at him in shock and I pull Anna closer to me. We all were silent, just staring at him in shock as he started explaining himself. Lori pulls Carl to her when he starts crying.

"Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead, I say there is a place for us, but maybe that's just another pipe dream. Why don't you go and find out for yourself. Send me a post card." He starts ranting not being able to stand still.

"Go on there's the door, you can do better? Let's see how far you can get." He says pointing towards the woods. No one moved we all stayed right where we were. We just looked at him doing nothing.

"No takers? Fine but let's get one thing straight, you're staying this isn't a democracy anymore." He tells us looking everyone straight in the eyes before turning and walking away. The others just stand there, all of us in shock from what just happened.

Daryl turns around to me and we just stare at each other. I look away from him and look into the fire trying to forget for just a moment about everything that was going on outside these stone walls, just for a moment.

**Important please read.**

**I want your guy vote on if Emily should be pregnant or not. You got to tell me soon before I write the next part ok.**

**I want to thank xmenfan33, FanFicGirl10 and alicemeetwonderland for their votes and I want to thank XxBEKKAHxX, alicemeetwonderland and Demi187 for favoring and following thank you guys so much.**

**I can't believe this one is done, it makes me almost sad. I can't believe how long this one is over 6,000 words, horary for me. I will try and get the next story out some time later this week ok.**


End file.
